The Unlikely Duo
by xmelonBreadx
Summary: No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.
1. Prologue: And so a little rabbit is lost

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

 **Author's Note: To anyone who already read the last three (yes, three) versions of TUD,** just forget about it. Please. This is a completely new, almost made from scratch, _semi drabble-like revision_. Emphasis on the drabble, since there are chapters that are just pointless but cute (at least to me). So please enjoy this new one

 **[Updated 11/3/15: Some grammar mistakes fixed; cover picture disclaimer added.]**

... .. .

 **General Disclaimer:** I do not own "Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn!" Not the manga, not the anime, and especially not the characters (except for some OCs). It all rightfully belongs to its wonderful author and artist, Amano Akira-san.

I also don't own the cover picture of this fiction. All rights belong to the one who made it, or owns it.

... .. .

 **Prologue: And so a little rabbit is lost**

He was lost. He was most terribly, terribly lost.

The young brunette looked at the hand drawn map again, but none of the landmarks there resembled anything he could see in his current surroundings.

He began to sniff. That unnaturally cold, March day was the day of Sawada Tsunayoshi's very first errand. He was hesitantly tasked by his mother, Sawada Nana, to buy some carrots at the convenience store they always passed by whenever they went home. Before he left, Nana tried to stop him, clearly worried, but his little confident self told her that he could "definitely do it!"

He even pounded his chest to show off.

And now he was lost.

"Hic—Hic—" Tsuna was finally ready to give up and cry miserably in the middle of the empty park, when a voice behind startled him.

"Little boy."

The voice was deep, but gentle, with an obvious amount of concern. Still, Tsuna turned nervously and rather slowly, the face of his mother as she warned him of not talking to strangers playing in a loop in his mind.

Standing before him was a tall man with very short raven-colored hair that appeared darker with his snow-pale complexion. What struck Tsuna the most about the man were his gray-colored eyes—his sharp, narrow eyes that were filled with nothing but concern.

Tsuna burst into tears. "Waaah!"

Immediately the man sat by Tsuna's side and hugged him, whispering words of comfort while rubbing his back as he did so, seemingly used to consoling children like the brunette.

When the cry finally subsided, the man pulled out a white handkerchief from his pocket and let Tsuna blew his nose on it. "Are you lost?" he finally asked.

Tsuna only nodded, belatedly noticing the familiar blue uniform of a police officer the man was wearing.

"Then do you have any identification card with you? Something your mother should have given you in cases like this..."

Tsuna remembered something like that was indeed given to him—a large paper with his name, phone number, and address written on it. The brunette then slid down from the man's lap, before fishing out a paper pressed in between hardened plastic from his small body bag.

The young police officer read the address and smiled, glad that the child's home wasn't that far. "Let's go," he happily said as he grabbed the boy's left hand.

"W-Where are we going?" Tsuna asked, confused.

"Back to your house. You're lost, right?" The man simply answered as he continued to walk. He suddenly stopped though, when the brunette pulled his hand to make him halt.

"Tsu—I mean, I-I can't go back yet..." Tsuna said as he stared at ground, face flushed for some unknown reason.

The man blinked, before kneeling down to Tsuna's level, all the while not letting go of his small hand. "Can I ask the reason why?"

Tsuna still refused to look up, maybe because of shyness, the police officer supposed, when he answered, "M-Mama asked me to buy something, and Tsu—I mean, I… I don't want to go back yet until I bought it..." he finished, and though his eyes were cast on the ground, the man could see the firm resolution in them—there was even this strange orange glow that had come and go in a second, making him wonder if he imagined it or not.

Pushing that aside, the young police officer smiled and ruffled Tsuna's brown locks. "Want me to accompany you then?"

Tsuna finally looked at him, a wide smile on his small lips. The police officer couldn't help but widen his own. "Do you know where you're supposed to buy it?"

Tsuna nodded once more, before presenting to the police officer the hand-drawn map leading from his house to the convenience store.

"S-Sawada Tsunayoshi."

"Hmm?"

Tsuna fidgeted from the gaze. "My n-name," he only said, eyes back to the ground.

The man laughed. He already saw the brunette's name from the paper before, but he still went out of his way to introduce himself. He then ruffled Tsuna's hair again before finally introducing himself. "Hibari," he said with a soft laugh. "My name's Hibari Akihiro."

... .. .

Tsuna decided he really liked the man. He was patient and gentle, and there was this air about him that was both comforting and relaxing. The police officer of course accompanied him with his shopping, though there was this one single comment in the entire affair of buying orange sticks that Tsuna could not just comprehend—"You really are a herbivore, aren't you?"—the man had said it with a worryingly pleased smile. Tsuna didn't ask anymore what an "herbivore" was.

Ten minutes later, Tsuna was safely escorted home, with a sobbing Nana hugging him fiercely, greatly worried when her Tsu-kun took longer than should with his errand, but was glad that he was finally safe. Nana then invited Akihiro for some afternoon tea, to which the police officer politely refused. He then waved goodbye, happily returning to patrolling his beloved Namimori.

... .. .

"A rabbit-like herbivore?" The young boy asked as he looked up to his father.

"Well, yes and no," Akihiro said as he adjusted his son on his lap. His thighs where getting numb. "He looks and acts and _is_ an herbivore, but somehow at the same time he is not."

The young boy tilted his head to the side, confused. "How can an herbivore be an herbivore and not at the same time?"

His son had a point. But Akihiro clearly remembered the resolution in Tsuna's eyes, one that definitely did not belong to any weak, plant-eating animal, and the orange glow that he was now sure he did not imagined. "I know what I said is confusing, but one day if you ever meet him Kyoya, you'll get what I mean." Namimori wasn't that large of a town after all. Akihiro knew the two would eventually meet someday.

"Hn," was Kyoya's only reply, clearly no longer interested, turning back to the steel tonfa he was playing with before.

Akihiro chuckled. He then ruffled his son's hair, mildly wondering, that if the two would really meet one day, would they become friends?

He guessed only time could tell.

... .. .

 **Another note:** Since I already finished writing and editing ALL the chapters (yes, TUD is finally, _finally_ finished), **updates will be every other day**.

Hooray!

Ciao!


	2. Chapter 1: Tsuna's first day

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

 **Author's note:** Apparently, there are two types of kindergarten in Japan, "Yochien" and "Hoikuen". Yochien is the one that lasts for half a day only, while Hoikuen is the one that lasts for a whole day—this one is designed for working parents; most provide lunch, and _"they tend to be less academically oriented than yochien"_.

(source: /2010/09/18/enrolling-my-kids-in-japanese-kindergartendaycare-hoikuen/)

 **[Updated 11/3/15: Fixed some grammar mistakes.]**

... .. .

 **Chapter 1: Tsuna's first day**

"No!"

"But Tsu-kun, Mama's worried that you always play by yourself at home! Don't you want to have friends you can play with?"

"Nooo!"

"Look Tsuna, the other kids are staring. If you're a man, you should face them without fear!"

"NOOOO!"

And so the brunette's cry only grew louder. The parents sighed. The teacher just smiled wearily, clearly used to this scene.

It was Tsuna's first day at Namimori Yochien. Though school started a week ago, due to an unforeseen illness, he was only able to start today. It wasn't for another thirty minutes when Tsuna was finally able to calm down. With his parents just outside waiting for him, he went to the room and was introduced to the class.

"Alright, settle down everyone!" the teacher, Nakamura Aoki-sensei, pacified. "This young boy here is Sawada Tsunayoshi, your new classmate. He should've started school with you last week, but due to an illness, he's only able to start today. Be nice to him, alright?"

And a chorus of "Hai, Aoki-sensei!" was heard. The bespectacled teacher smiled, before he lowered himself to Tsuna's level and pointed at the only empty chair inside the classroom.

"Nice to meet you! My name's Yamamoto Takeshi! But you can call me Takeshi if you want!"

Tsuna wasn't even seated yet when his seatmate greeted him. The brunette looked at him, a big smile plastered to the other boy's face. He nodded twice, and said "Ta—Takeshi-kun then..." in a low voice, before finally taking his seat.

"Ah, can I call you Tsuna?" Takeshi asked as he moved closer.

Tsuna shrank back shyly, his cheeks dusted in light pink, but still nodded in agreement.

... .. .

 **Author's rambling/note: First of all,** yeah, I know it's short. Most (I think) are this short, but if you had read my first fic, you should already know that I hate long ones. At least there's a new chapter every other day.

 **Second** , Thanks for the reviews! Even if I really didn't ask for it, some of you still reviewed, which really made my day :) Replies to each were already done, except for the anonymous one since I only reply through private messages :)

 **Lastly** , thanks for the follows and favorites! I didn't really think many will take a liking to this one, so really, thanks!

So until the day after tomorrow again, I guess :)

Ciao!


	3. Chapter 2: Another friend

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

 **[Updated 11/3/15: Fixed some grammar mistakes.]**

... .. .

 **Chapter 2: Another friend**

He made his first friend.

Of course, Tsuna was really happy he did, but the whole "kindergarten" thing was still terrifying to him. Especially when your parents promised you a whole day of fun in an amusement park, only to be driven in an unfamiliar place with too many unfamiliar faces—and Tsuna's parents expected him to befriend them all too.

Most of them anyway.

Tsuna sighed. It was break time. The other children were playing tag on the other side of the playground, while he quietly sat on the swing. Even with Takeshi's invitation earlier, he was too shy (and scared) to join them. He resolutely decided to spend the whole break alone there, when one of the children playing separated from the group and walked up to him.

"Ne, won't you join us, Tsuna-kun?"

"Eh?" Tsuna looked up, and saw a short-haired girl smiling down at him, her cheeks red from running.

"S-Sorry..." Still too shy, Tsuna could only offer his apologies. But the girl won't give up.

"Eh, but isn't it lonely here by yourself?"

 _It is,_ Tsuna thought, but couldn't say. He gripped the chains that held the wooden swing tighter, waiting for the girl to leave. But she didn't. Instead, the girl grabbed his right hand and dragged him to the other side of the playground.

"Eh—but—I—"

"Sorry, Tsuna-kun, but I won't take no for an answer!" the girl cut him as she continued to drag the brunette. "Besides," she then stopped, turned around and faced him. Hand still gripping Tsuna's, she then said, "Once you get to know and play with them, they won't be so scary. We're all just kids after all!"

Tsuna's eyes widened. Something inside him said that she was right. That if he just got to know the other children, they wouldn't really be scary at all, just like Takeshi and the girl before him. He might even like kindergarten.

He decided to give it a try.

"Alright... I-I'll join..." he meekly said.

"Really?!"

Tsuna nodded, and the girl cheered. He later learned that her name was Sasagawa Kyoko.

And so Sawada Tsunayoshi made another friend.

... .. .

 **Author's rambling:** I just noticed there's a five-year gap between this story and my first one... well, just rambling.


	4. Chapter 3: Kindergarten is still--

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

 **Author's note:** Sorry for the chapter title in the chapter list. FF only allows a certain number of characters, and this chapter's title apparently exceeded that—so I had to compromise and add two hyphens (-) [I actually want to use periods, but FF won't accept my three dots] to show the title has more words than what it can show. So from now on, two hyphens (-) in a title in the chapter list means there's more words in it, and that those hyphens aren't actually included in the title itself. The whole title can then be seen on the chapter, as what I have always done since the prologue.

 **[Updated 11/3/15: Fixed some grammar mistakes.]**

... .. .

 **Chapter 3: Kindergarten is still scary after all**

It had already been a week since Sawada Tsunayoshi entered Namimori Yochien. As each day passed, he grew to like it more and more. He didn't think it was scary anymore either. And every day, his homeroom teacher, Aoki-sensei, would come up with new and exciting activities for them to do.

"Alright class, our activity for today is a game called scavenger hunt!" Aoki began. "The goal of this game is for you to search and collect all the items on the list I'll give to you later. The first one to collect all items will receive a fabulous prize!" he ended with a toothy smile.

And so the hunt began.

"Ne, want to look together?" Tsuna turned around and saw a grinning Takeshi. "It would be easier to look together than by yourself! We can share the prize later too!" he added.

Tsuna was about to agree when another voice came up.

"I want to join too!" It was Kyoko. Tsuna nodded happily in consent. Somehow, whenever there was an activity that allowed groupings, the three of them would always do it together.

"Oh and I almost forgot, this is an individual activity! That means no grouping together, understand?"

"Eeeeh?" Tsuna replied with the other kids as they all turned to their teacher. Aoki bowed his head slightly in apology, before telling the children to go on with their hunt and follow the rule. With heads lowered in disappointment, Kyoko and Takeshi finally went on their own way to look for their items.

Tsuna sighed. Now left alone in the middle of their school's playground, he examined the list and was pleasantly surprised that most of them were rather easy to find. But as he went further down the rectangular piece of paper, a particular item made his brows furrow.

 _A black feather...?_ The skin between his eyebrows creased even more as he wondered where he could find such a thing. It then suddenly came to him, a place where he may find one—the roof at the east side of the one-storey school. He once saw a bird there when Takeshi gave him a tour, and though he could no longer remember what color it was, he would still give the place a try.

... .. .

Tsuna paused to catch his breath when he finally arrived at his destination. He then looked up, to see if there was any bird there, but failed to find any. Not wanting to give up easily, Tsuna started to jog the whole width of the building, his eyes stuck to the roof. He trot and trot, until at last—there on the far end of the roof, he saw something black and moving.

Tsuna visibly gulped, and then began to search for a ladder. Curiously when he got to the back side of the school, he saw one already resting on the white wall. The brunette did not think too much about it, and instead readied himself for capturing an untamed bird. When he was finally prepared, Tsuna climbed the ladder.

But what a surprise it was—that mass of something black and moving Tsuna saw earlier wasn't a bird at all. It was actually hair, a mass of gently swayed raven-colored hair that belonged to an older boy sleeping soundly on the roof.

"E-Eh?!" Tsuna exclaimed a little bit loudly. He then covered his mouth with his two little hands, but was too late. The sleeping boy grumbled and stirred, before finally sitting up and glared angrily at whomever it was that dared to wake him. Somehow, Tsuna could see a black, ominous aura around the boy that shouldn't be there.

" _You..._ " the older boy didn't even need to finish. Tsuna instantly paled, before he hurriedly climbed down the ladder and ran for his dear life.

"HIEEE!"

Tsuna took it all back. Kindergarten was still scary after all.

... .. .

 **Author's rambling:** It's kind of obvious who Tsuna met right? Ahaha.

See you then on Tuesday!

Ciao.


	5. Chapter 4: The boy known as Hibari Kyoya

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

 **[Updated 11/3/15: Fixed some grammar mistakes.]**

... .. .

 **Chapter 4: The boy known as Hibari Kyoya**

"Ah, that's Hibari Kyoya!" Kyoko answered before giving her sandwich another big bite.

"Hibari... Kyoya?" Tsuna echoed. It was break time, on the day after the scavenger hunt. Tsuna, Kyoko, Takeshi, and another girl, Hana—Kyoko's best friend—were all eating together when the male brunette brought up the subject. Yesterday, Tsuna so frightened at what he had encountered that he wasn't able to continue his hunt. He was also sent home earlier, and thus wasn't able to ask the identity of the person he had stumbled upon.

Tsuna then visibly gulped. "Is... is he a-a-a ghost?" he dared asked.

The two girls paused from their chewing and stared at him. Takeshi laughed out loudly. "Ahahaha! No, he's not! Hibari Kyoya is just a kid, like us! Though he's a year older," he dismissed with a wave of his hand.

"No, no. From what I heard, he's two years older than us," Hana corrected.

"Eh, does that mean he got held back a year?" Kyoko asked as she turned to Hana.

"That's what I heard."

Takeshi then wondered. "Is it also true then that he stalks around Namimori and beat up bad people?"

"Isn't that dangerous?" Kyoko interjected.

Hana placed a hand under her chin. "I heard he uses some weapon... some kind of stick from Okinawa..."

"Ah, I remember! It's a tonfa! My old man showed me his once!" Takeshi happily answered.

"I also heard from my brother that he's always by himself in class too," Kyoko added.

Takeshi and Hana stared at her in surprise. "They're classmates?!"

"Yup," Kyoko confirmed. "He also said that whenever he tries to talk to him, he's always ignored."

"Well, everyone says he never really talks unless he needs to," Takeshi said. "I also heard he's pretty cold to everyone, and scary too."

"Have you also heard that he always go to school an hour early before class?" Hana then asked.

Takeshi crossed his arms and tilted his head to the side. "Really? I got the impression that he's always late."

"No, no. I heard he always went straight to the back garden, you know, where the cherry blossom trees are, but no one really knows what he does there," Hana elaborated.

"Maybe he's feeding some bird?" Kyoko suggested.

Takeshi laughed again. "Ahahaha, maybe!"

"Umm... so how did you know that's he's the one on the roof yesterday?" Everyone turned and looked at Tsuna, who was silent all this time during the gossiping.

"Because everyone knows he likes to sleep on the roof whenever he pleases," the three answered in a matter-of-fact tone, like that piece of information was some kind of common sense.

Tsuna just smiled weakly as the three continued to talk about the boy known as Hibari Kyoya. He would come to wonder after a few months how all these "kindergarten gossips" are, in fact, all true.

... .. .

 **Author's rambling:**...I wonder if I succeeded in making them look like they're gossiping?

...

...

Oh well, this is your update for today.

See you the day after tomorrow :)

Ciao !


	6. Chapter 5: The promise of--

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

 **[Updated 11/3/15: Fixed some grammar mistakes.]**

... .. .

 **Chapter 5: The promise of another meeting**

It was late. School already ended an hour ago, but Tsuna's parents had yet to arrive. Fighting back the oncoming tears, the brunette had watched the kindergarten students go home one by one, until he was sure the only ones left in the school were him and the teachers. Tsuna tightened his grip on the strap of his backpack as he remembered, before he finally allowed the tears to well up in the corner of his eyes.

"Chirp. Chirp. Chirp."

Tsuna turned to his right, just in time to see the brown tail of a bird disappear behind the school building. He followed it, tears momentarily forgotten as a part of him wanted to confirm if there really was a bird that lives in the school. He never really did forget the day he lost the scavenger hunt.

When he arrived at the east side of the school, where he saw the bird went, it was now nowhere to be seen. Tsuna then closed his eyes, straining his ears to hear even a single chirp.

"Chirp, chirp."

 _The back!_ Tsuna quickly snapped his eyes open and ran to the back of the school, and there, finally, saw the small brown bird he was looking for.

"So you actually live here, huh?" Tsuna said as he crouched down, so as to not to startle the little bird. The bird blinked once at him, surprised at the strange, fellow brunette, but nevertheless hopped towards him. Tsuna was astonished at how docile it was, more so when it chirped, as if asking for food.

"Chirp, chirp, chirp!"

"Eh, are you hungry?"

"Chirp!"

Tsuna laughed when the bird answered. He then rummaged his backpack, looking for the leftover sunflower seeds he used earlier for his art work. When he finally found it, Tsuna fed the seeds to the bird, all the while laughing as its beak tickled his palm. He then noticed something—something white on the bird's left wing.

 _A bandage?_

" _What are you doing, herbivore?_ "

Tsuna jumped at the sound of the angry voice. _Her—herbivore?!_ He then turned around and paled at sight of its owner.

"H-Hibari Kyoya!"

Hibari narrowed his eyes. "Do I know you?"

"N-No! I mean, yes! No, wait—I mean, umm—"

"Chirp!"

Hibari moved aside and saw just behind Tsuna the brown bird looking angrily at him.

"Chirp!" the bird chirped angrily again, to which Hibari only replied with a "Hn."

Somehow, even as scared and nervous as he was that _the_ Hibari Kyoya was standing in front of him, Tsuna could sense that the two were silently communicating with ease, and that the bird just saved his life. He then noticed that Hibari was holding something with one of his hands—a small bag of what looked like seeds.

"Were you feeding him?" Hibari asked, now in a calmer tone.

Still somewhat scared, Tsuna just nodded.

"..." With nothing more to ask, Hibari crouched down beside Tsuna and began to feed the bird with the seeds he brought. The brunette was tense all the while, but it slowly faded away as Hibari continued to feed the little bird and ignore him.

Tsuna then turned around, so that he now faced the bird just like Hibari, and when he did, the bird looked up to him and chirped for food. The brunette clumsily fetched the extra bag of sunflower seeds his mother prepared and began to feed. After a short while of silence, Tsuna took all the courage he had and asked something that had been bothering him.

"Umm... is—is he hurt?"

"He is," came the short reply.

"T-Then, were you the one who placed the bandage on him?"

Hibari did not reply. But Tsuna felt the silence was his way of saying yes. He then dared ask another question.

"C-Can I feed him again...?"

There was another painful silence between them. The rumors about Hibari Kyoya's coldness and fearsomeness now swirled ominously inside Tsuna's head, but all of it seemed to be just that—rumors—when he finally heard the skylark's answer.

"You can."

Tsuna smiled softly. "B-By the way," he stuttered, still nervous around the older boy, "my name's Sawada Tsunayoshi."

There was another bout of silence.

"Hibari Kyoya."


	7. Chapter 6: A parent's worry

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

 **[Updated 11/3/15: Fixed some grammar mistakes.]**

... .. .

 **Chapter 6: A parent's worry**

"This is a little troubling," Nana finally said as she looked at their son, who was happily picking out different types of seeds from the shelf.

"Why? Is he taking too much?" Iemitsu asked. It was one of those rare afternoons where the three of them could go shopping together as a whole family, and not just Nana and Tsuna as per usual.

"No, it's not that." Nana sighed. "Didn't you find it weird earlier? We were more than an hour late for picking him up, but he wasn't crying or angry at us like we expected. He was actually _happy_. Do you think he's growing too fast?"

Iemitsu had to laugh, which made Nana pout in annoyance. "Maa~ maa~, I don't really think that's the case, Mama. Maybe our little Tsuna found a friend he can play with?"

Nana's irritation subsided at the suggestion, but still her worry remained. "Well, I guess... but there's another thing that worries me..."

"Hmm? What is it?"

It was a while before Nana answered. "He asked if we could be late again tomorrow."

Iemitsu's eyes widened in surprise. He then walked up to Tsuna, crouched down to his son's level, and ruffled the brunette's head.

"Tsuna, please don't grow up too fast, okay?"

"Eh?"

 _You're only five!_ Iemitsu thought. Still, they yielded to be an hour late again the next day.

... .. .

 **Author's rambling:** Shortest chapter yet. I did warn you.

And okay, dammit. You're all making me too happy with your reviews! Seriously. Also on how the favorites and follows just keep on increasing with each chapter. Damn. Thank You :)

Another thing, haha, sorry, 'cause I really think I'm just teasing you all now with this chapter. But don't worry, Tsuna and Hibari will meet again in the next one :)

So until then, Ciao!


	8. Chapter 7: The promised meeting

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

 **[Updated 11/3/15: Fixed some grammar mistakes.]**

... .. .

 **Chapter 7: The promised meeting**

Finally, class has ended, and Tsuna was excited.

Today was the day of the promised meeting—the day he got to feed the little brown bird again, though he only found it yesterday. He then involuntarily shivered when he remembered that he would feed it with Hibari Kyoya. Nevertheless, Tsuna would gulp down his anxiousness for the little bird.

"Okay class, see you again after golden week!" Aoki dismissed.

"Eh? Golden week? What's that?" Tsuna turned to Takeshi, who was busy packing his things.

"Hmm? Golden week?" Takeshi repeated. "If I remember correctly, my old man said it's a one week celebration of something... umm... what was it again?" Takeshi asked himself as he tried his best to remember, but sadly couldn't. "Haha, sorry I forgot!" He then scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "But he also said that because of it, we have a week off from school!"

"Eh, really?!"

Takeshi happily replied. "Yup!"

But Tsuna wasn't that happy. He now really liked attending kindergarten, not only because the classes were really fun, but also because he finally had friends he could play with, plus a bird to feed too—even if he had to do the latter with a scary boy.

He let out a sigh.

"Chirp, chirp?"

Tsuna looked down at the little bird and smiled sadly. It was just the second time he fed it, and yet he already grew attached to it.

"You're early."

Tsuna turned around, and saw Hibari Kyoya walking towards him. He noticeably stiffened when the older boy sat beside him, but Hibari just ignored it.

Just like that, they were both silent for a good while, the small bird the only one in the mood to speak.

"Chirp, chirp, chirp!"

With brows furrowed deeply, Tsuna finally decided to talk too. "Umm... H-Hibari-san, are you going to feed the bird during golden week?"

"I will."

Tsuna perked up. "Then can I—"

"No way." Hibari didn't even let him finish. He already knew what the brunette wanted to ask, and he didn't like it. "You don't need to come."

"But I also—"

"No."

"But—"

"No."

"But Hiba—"

"I already said no, and that's _final._ "

Tsuna looked incredulously at Hibari, whose eyes never left the bird during the whole exchange, and still didn't. Anger then began to well up inside him—at the utter unfairness of it all—and so for the first time, the brunette found the courage to retaliate. "You're being selfish, Hibari-san! The bird doesn't belong to you!"

Hibari suddenly turned to Tsuna, his blue-gray eyes filled with contempt and another emotion the brunette wasn't expecting to really see.

It was barely there, but Tsuna's widened eyes could still clearly discern the loneliness in the older boy's narrowed ones.

" _You. Don't. Need. To. Come._ " the skylark repeated, making sure to emphasize each word.

Tsuna was expectedly silenced, and didn't talk back anymore. Quietness fell upon them again, broken only by the questioning chirps of the little bird every now and then.

... .. .

 **Author's note:** Just in case some of you didn't know, golden week in Japan is a week that contains a series of holidays, from April 29 to May 5.

And yeah... see you again the day after tomorrow?

Ciao.


	9. Chapter 8: The start of an--

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

 **[Updated 11/3/15: Fixed some grammar mistakes.]**

... .. .

 **Chapter 8: The start of an extreme adventure!**

It was May 4th, the sixth day of golden week, and Tsuna ended up treasure hunting.

It all started on a rather innocent morning. The Sawada family decided to go to Namimori Park to celebrate Greenery day. It was well and peaceful at first—the Sawada couple sat down happily underneath a tree, while their son, Tsuna, played a little ways off with his ball. It was like that for the first half hour or so, until the young brunette accidentally bumped to an older boy.

"Are you alright?!" the older boy asked too loudly. Being the younger and weaker of the two, Tsuna was the one who fell down, with a thud, on his butt.

"I-I'm fine..." Tsuna replied as the older helped him get up. He then jumped back in surprise when the other boy suddenly bowed deeply, his stance an almost perfect 90 degree angle.

"I'm extremely sorry! I wasn't looking where I was going when I suddenly bumped you!"

 _Extremely?_ "I-It's fine! Really! I wasn't hurt at all!" Tsuna lied. His behind was sore. "Besides, I was the one who bumped you!"

"But—!"

"Onii-chan!"

Both of them turned.

"Kyoko!"

"Kyoko-chan?!"

"Eh, Tsuna-kun?"

"You know each other?!" the three of them said in unison.

It was Kyoko who first spoke up. "Onii-chan, this is Tsuna-kun, my classmate in the Yochien," she introduced. She then turned to Tsuna. "And Tsuna-kun, this is my older brother, Ryohei-nii-chan. He's also attending the Yochien, though he's a grade older than us."

"So you're that Tsuna-kun! It's extremely nice to meet you!" Ryohei greeted.

Tsuna turned questioningly at Kyoko, who only smiled in answer. "It's nice to meet you too, Ryohei-san."

"Now that greetings are over, Onii-chan," Kyoko then turned to her brother, "how about we invite Tsuna-kun too?"

"That's a great idea!" Ryohei replied loudly. He then turned to the brunette. "Would you like to go an extreme treasure hunt with us, Tsuna?"

Tsuna blinked. But before he could even reply, a familiar voice spoke.

"My Tsu-kun, you never told me you're going to meet with your friends!" The three children looked up, and saw a happy Nana smiling down at them. She then sat down to their level. "Can I ask what you three are playing?"

"We're not actually—"

"We're going to have an extreme treasure hunt!" Ryohei replied enthusiastically, cutting Tsuna off. "So we would like to ask if we could borrow Tsuna, ma'am!"

Nana didn't even have to think. She replied instantly.

"Alright."

... .. .

Tsuna had wondered earlier, what Kyoko meant by "invite him too", but did not have the chance to ask. After getting dragged underneath the playground slide by the Sasagawa siblings though, he finally found out. Somehow, before they found him, Takeshi was dragged to the extreme hunt too.

"It sounded interesting, so I asked if I could join too!"

Correction. Takeshi invited himself, so Tsuna was the only one who got dragged. The brunette sighed.

"So here it is! The map to the extreme adventure!" Ryohei said as he swatted down three pieces of paper. One was strangely cut with weird lines and symbols, while the other two were more normal looking with words written on it.

"Umm... so where's the map?" Tsuna asked.

"Can't you see? It's this one!" Ryohei said as he lifted up the strangely cut paper. Tsuna and Takeshi only tilted their heads to the side in confusion. "I found these in our classroom before golden week. I actually forgot these until our parents suggested we go to Namimori Park today. See, look at this paper." He then pulled the large rectangular paper from the bunch for all to see, before reading the words out loud,

"To all the kids out there, I am the legendary K2 grader, the Red Star! If you found this paper, then you're in luck! Hidden with this paper is a piece of a map I made—a map to all the treasures from my great adventures! Before I graduated, I hid them all in Namimori Park. So if you follow the clues and assembled the pieces, it will lead you to them!

Good luck in your hunting!

Best Regards,

The Red Star."

Ryohei finished, a proud smile spreading to the six-year old's lips for reading the whole letter without any problem.

"The paper I showed to you earlier is the piece of map he was talking about, while this other small one here is the clue that will lead us to the second one." He lifted a small square paper, which only had three short lines written on it. "I don't really know this Red Star character, but he sounds extremely awesome! So I bet his hidden treasures are extremely awesome too!"

Tsuna and Takeshi nodded enthusiastically, their eyes sparkling after they heard the letter. Kyoko, though just as excited, only chuckled, since she already heard it.

"Alright! Let's finally start the extreme treasure hunt!"

"Yeah!"

... .. .

 **Author's rambling:** So, umm, this is the start of a rather long break from any HibaTsuna friendship moments (which is still quite nonexistent)—about four chapters or so. Hope you all won't be disappointed, since I really had fun writing this "extreme adventure" arc.

And also because you'll all be bombarded with 1827 fluff/friendship moments after the arc. Seriously.

So until the day after tomorrow, as always.

Ciao!


	10. Chapter 9: The extreme treasure hunt!

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

 **[Updated 11/3/15: Fixed some grammar mistakes.]**

... .. .

 **Chapter 9: The extreme treasure hunt!**

"Are you sure this is it?" Ryohei asked as he looked up at the tall tree in front of him.

"I'm positive!" Kyoko replied.

"Hmm..." Ryohei stared at the tree again, his two fists on either side of his waist, still half-convinced. It was now the start of their extreme treasure hunt, with a morning sun still leisurely climbing the highest point to the sky, while the four of them had their eyes stare up in wonder and amazement at the very tall tree, to which the first clue had riddlingly hinted:

"The tallest of them all;

Sometimes it's green, sometimes it's red.

But it's brown all the time."

The quartet didn't have to think for long to get the answer—Kyoko immediately deduced it as the tallest tree in the park. When the three boys questioned her how she knew, the only girl happily answered, "You see, a tree's leaves are green during spring, and then red at fall. But a tree is also brown all the time because that's the colour of its trunk, which doesn't change. Since the first line said the tallest among everyone, then it must be the tallest tree here in the park."

"Well, it's better than nothing!" Ryohei exclaimed before he finally climbed the tall tree, with shouts of "Be careful!" and "Don't fall down!" heard from the three below.

Ryohei climbed and climbed, his hands and feet getting tired from the physical exertion. _I wonder where it is?_ He asked himself when he was halfway up. He then paused to rest his tired muscles, when he noticed something at the corner of his eye. A hole. A small hole that was most probably the home of a squirrel or some small bird. Moving closer, Ryohei stretched out his left arm and rummaged inside it, and after just a few seconds, his hand finally clasped what felt like an envelope.

"I found something!"

Ryohei climbed down as fast as he could with the envelope clamped between his lips. When he was safely on the ground, he opened the closed envelope in front of the others, revealing the second strangely cut piece of paper—the second part of the map, and the clue to the third one. Everyone cheered excitedly. Kyoko then hid the second piece, along with the first one, in her small bag for safekeeping.

Ryohei then read the second clue:

"Small as they are,

It's hard to see each one.

But together in a box,

I can play with everyone."

This time the four stopped to think.

"A box of really small marbles?"

"Some kind of bugs?"

"Maybe water?"

"Fish?"

"Tuna."

"..."

"It's sand! The sandbox!" It was Takeshi who answered. "It's hard to see each grain of sand, but when they're together, like in the sandbox, then we can see and play with them all!" he explained before everyone ran for the aforementioned box. The four were then immediately down on their knees as they began to dig with their hands for the next clue.

And after delving many holes and spending a good half hour on the box, Tsuna finally found the next clue buried deep in a corner. He then gave the third piece of the map to Kyoko, and the next clue to Ryohei.

"Littered around the park,

You always sit on it;

But had you ever looked under it?"

It was obvious what "it" was—a bench. The only problem was that there were dozens scattered around the park, and Namimori Park was rather large. But the four wouldn't easily give up. Still determined to find the treasures, they split up in four different directions and started their search—

—which was long, hard, and hot, what with the sun now high up happily and almost scorchingly in the sky. Sweat continuously tickled down the quartet's necks as each of them looked for the fourth piece, and it wasn't until an hour after noon when Kyoko finally found it underneath a really old bench. For another half hour she searched for the others. When they were all together again, the next clue was read:

"Look for the stray dog with a collar.

Tame it and you will find the next clue,

Anger it and you will never do."

They now all looked at each other.

" _There's a dog that lives here?_ "

... .. .

 **Author's rambling:** Do please ignore the Tuna part. I couldn't restrain myself and finally placed it there :D

Ciao.


	11. Chapter 10: The taming of the dog

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

 **[Updated 11/3/15: Fixed some grammar mistakes.]**

... .. .

 **Chapter 10: The taming of the dog**

"There's a dog that lives here?" Ryohei voiced out what everyone was thinking.

"Ah, I think I know where it is!" Tsuna exclaimed. He then explained on the way that while looking for the last clue, he saw a small dog earlier digging near the fence. It had a collar, but it didn't look like anyone owned it, since that time when he saw the dog there was no one around but him and the pooch.

"There it is!" Tsuna said as he pointed at a small white dog with no identifiable breed, sleeping soundly near the hole it made.

"So, what now?" Takeshi asked as they all stared at the sleeping dog.

"Well, the clue said we need to tame the dog," Kyoko answered.

"But it's sleeping. Does it mean we already tamed it?" Tsuna wondered.

"Let's see." Ryohei tiptoed towards the dog, so as to not wake it. He then looked around it, searching for the next clue, but failed to find it. _Ah!_ Ryohei then tiptoed near the hole, before crouching down slowly. He was about to dig when Kyoko's voice startled him.

"Onii-chan, the dog woke up!"

"Eh?!" Ryohei turned around, and saw the previously sleeping dog bare its large canines at him.

Two very large canines for a rather small dog.

He ran for his life to the extreme.

"EXTREEEME!"

... .. .

"Onii-chan! You could've warned us before you ran!"

"Sorry, I thought that small dog was going to eat me, so I ran to the extreme."

"But look, the dog didn't even follow us." Takeshi observed. He then looked out from the tree they were hiding behind, and saw a now alert dog guarding the hole beside it.

"How will we get the clue now?" Tsuna asked. Everyone stopped to think.

And think.

And think.

And think.

"Nothing's going to happen if we kept on thinking like this," Ryohei finally said.

"Ah, then let me try to tame it!" Kyoko suggested as she remembered something in her bag that might be able to tame the wild animal.

But the overprotective brother denied.

"But we might be able to tame it with this!" Kyoko then took out a meaty sandwich packed by their mom. She explained that maybe, just like the saying "a way to a man's heart is through his stomach", they could win the dog over through its stomach too.

"That might... work," Ryohei finally said.

Kyoko nodded her head in hope, ready to go.

"But I still won't let you go."

"Onii-chan!"

Ryohei didn't listen to his younger sister's plea. He instead turned to Tsuna, placing a hand on the brunette's shoulder before saying, "Tsuna, if you're a man, then you should do it!"

"Eh?!" Tsuna was dumbfounded at the logic. "Why don't you, Ryohei-san?"

"Because I'm scared of that dog!" Ryohei said with a smile. Tsuna instinctively looked down on Ryohei's knees, and saw them shaking badly. He sighed in defeat.

"Sorry, Tsuna-kun," Kyoko said as she gave Tsuna the sandwich. Tsuna gulped. He began to walk slowly towards the small dog, sandwich in hand. But he was only a few feet away when the dog suddenly stood up on its four feet and started growling at him.

 _Hiee!_

Scared as he was for his life, Tsuna still decided to brave it out. Slowly, the brunette cautiously placed another step on the ground, when the dog angrily barked at him and started to chase him.

"Bark! Bark! Bark!"

"HIEEE!"

Now Tsuna was the one running for his life. The dog would have chased him everywhere if he hadn't dropped the sandwich. The angry dog ate it in one bite, before returning to its spot to guard the hole.

And so little Sawada Tsunayoshi had a newfound fear for small dogs.

Everyone sighed. They were losing hope, now that their only chance of taming the dog was gone. But they didn't want to quit the treasure hunt when they were finally this far. The four were silent for a while then, not knowing what to do, when one of them raised his hand and spoke up.

"Let me try."

Everyone looked at Takeshi, determination evident in his brown eyes.

"B-But how will you do it?" Tsuna asked.

"One time, I saw my old man tame a stray dog just like this one, though much bigger. It was amazing. He didn't have anything with him, but he was able to tame it. I'll try to do the same thing with that small one," Takeshi explained. Everyone was amazed, and at the same time worried. But they didn't have a choice anymore—because it was either quit the hunt or hope in Takeshi.

And no one was quitting.

"Alright, here I go." Takeshi made his move. He crouched down, making himself look as small as he could, before he very slowly approached the white dog.

"Don't worry, I won't hurt you," he said as he got nearer. When he was just a few feet away from it, the white dog started to growl. Takeshi paused. He waited there, motionless, until the dog stopped growling. He then approached again, and this time the dog did not growl. It only looked at him silently, observing.

When Takeshi was finally just a foot away from it, very, very slowly he offered his hand for the dog to sniff. The other three hiding behind the tree held their breath.

The dog slowly stood up, cautiously approached Takeshi, before sniffing his hand. A silent cheer erupted from the trio. Takeshi stayed calm, letting the dog finish its examination. When the dog seemed to decide that he was not a threat, Takeshi carefully petted the dog between its ears, which it seemed to enjoy.

Takeshi smiled. "That's a good boy."

When the dog relaxed more, Takeshi petted the other parts of its body. Then he felt something strange. As he was petting around the collar, he felt something a little bit sharp, like the corner of a paper.

 _Could it be?!_ Takeshi grabbed the strange object, and then very carefully pulled it out. The dog started to growl again.

"Don't worry, it'll be over soon," Takeshi reassured. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the whole thing was out. Takeshi lifted it up to see it.

It was an envelope—the next clue!

"Arf!" Takeshi looked down, surprised that the dog's demeanor had changed. He looked again at the envelope and realized why.

"So this thing was making you all grumpy, huh?"

"Arf!" the dog answered. Takeshi then laughed, before he petted the dog one last time and joined the others.

... .. .

 **Author's rambling:** So here's your update for today. Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did writing it :)

Ciao.


	12. Chapter 11: Finally, the last piece

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

 **[Updated 11/3/15: Fixed some grammar mistakes.]**

... .. .

 **Chapter 11: Finally, the last piece**

"You did it!" The three cheered when Takeshi returned.

"Who knew that it was in the collar?" Takeshi said as he gave Ryohei the envelope.

"Well, the clue never did say it was in a hole. It only said to tame the dog," Kyoko observed.

They then opened the envelope, hid the fifth piece, before finally reading the clue:

"This is the last, so read well.

In the white stall, there's a hidden menu.

Order it, and he'll give you the clue."

There was only one white stall in the whole Namimori Park, and that was the hotdog food stand. The only problem was guessing the hidden menu.

"Aargh! Just give us that last clue, old man!"

"Maa, maa, Senpai, just calm down a bit."

"That's right, Onii-chan! Let's think about it more!"

But Ryohei couldn't afford to wait anymore. They were stuck there for two hours already, and the sun was beginning to set. They only had an hour at the very least before it was too late to continue the hunt. But what could the hidden menu be in a hotdog stand?

"We won't be able to find the treasures at this rate!" Ryohei clenched his fists. Everyone was already tired and hungry. They all thought for as long and as hard as they could, but still couldn't find the answer.

Once again, they were losing hope.

"What—What if the hidden menu is actually 'hidden menu'?"

Everyone turned their eyes to Tsuna.

"How so?" Ryohei asked.

"Well... this is just a guess, but in all the clues, the Red Star never leaves out anything that won't lead us to the next one. Remember how we all thought earlier that the clue was hidden in the hole, even though it was never mentioned? We wouldn't have found the fourth envelope if Takeshi-kun hadn't tame the dog, which what the clue actually said. That's why I thought, what if the clue was actually trying to say _order Hidden Menu in the white stall_?"

"... I think Tsuna's right," Kyoko said, her head down in deep thought. "Remember the first line? Didn't it said to 'read well?'"

They were all silent as they contemplated Tsuna's suggestion. Finally, Ryohei decided.

"It's worth the try."

"O-One Hidden Menu please," Tsuna nervously ordered. But he wasn't the only one nervous, so where the other three behind him. Even so, they looked resolutely at the old vendor. With hearts pounding loudly, they all waited for his reply.

"Hahaha!" the vendor laughed, which made the children confused. Where they wrong again? They silently asked each other. But they weren't. For after the vendor laughed, he finally said the words the four were waiting for.

"Coming right up!"

Loud cheers erupted from each, especially from Ryohei. The old vendor laughed again, before finally giving them the last envelope.

"Haha, I thought no one would ever find it," the vendor said as he watched the kids open the envelope. They all looked up to the old man as he reminisced. "It's been so long already, I thought all the treasures he collected so hard for will go to waste. But I'm glad it won't." He then looked down at the four and made a request to them. "When you finally find the treasures, please take care of them, ne?"

"Hai!" the four replied with a newfound energy. They then said goodbye, finally setting out to find the hidden treasures.

... .. .

With the tape Kyoko had at hand, they assembled the six pieces of the map. As they did, the strangely cut pieces finally made sense to them—each piece was actually cut in the shape of a jigsaw puzzle. The pieces were cut so poorly that they didn't recognize them for what they were until all was assembled together.

"Finally, the map to the hidden treasures is complete!" Ryohei lifted up the map for all to see. It was easy enough to follow, especially now they knew the whole park.

As they followed the map, the quartet arrived within a dense population of trees. As they got closer to the X marked on the taped map, they went in deeper and deeper, until finally they saw it—a very old painted X on the base of a tree, with a small arrow pointing on the ground below the mark.

Now filled with a newfound excitement, the four began to dig with their hands.

They didn't have to dig too deep. Since the one who buried it was also a child like them, the large treasure box was only buried shallowly. Ryohei pulled the box out of its grave carefully before setting it down on the ground. As they surrounded it, heart pounding loudly, Ryohei slowly and cautiously lifted the lid up.

And what they saw was dumbfounding.

"I. O. U.

\- sorry, I can't part with my treasures after all!

RedStar"

"EH?!"

... .. .

"That was so extremely annoying!"

"I've never been so disappointed in my life..."

"Or so tired and hungry..."

"Ahahaha, but we had fun, right?"

Takeshi was right. Tired as they were as they helplessly lie on the soft grass with the wide sky above them, they couldn't deny that they did had fun, even if what they found was rather disappointing.

They all laughed happily as they recalled. Tsuna then aimlessly lifted his small hand up to the orange sky, wishing this moment with his friends would last forever. A flock of brown birds then came to his view, and his own brown eyes slightly widened as he immediately remembered—about the scary boy he first met on a roof; his coldness, his quietness, and his loneliness.

Tsuna sat up, a decision made in his mind.

Tomorrow he would go and see Hibari Kyoya.


	13. Chapter 12: The skylark's golden week

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

 **[Updated 11/3/15: Fixed some grammar mistakes.]**

... .. .

 **Chapter 12: The skylark's golden week**

Cold. That was what Hibari first thought when he finally arrived at the closed gates of Namimori Yochien. Not that he minded much, though. He then looked side to side, before he climbed the black gates and land expertly on the other side, running to the back of the school building immediately after for the little brown bird's morning feeding.

It was like this every day for the skylark's golden week. Since the start of the said week, Hibari would wake up early in the morning to feed the bird. He would then play with it for a few hours before returning home at lunch time, and he always made sure that he left enough food for the injured bird's lunch and dinner.

The skylark now looked up at the blue sky. It was already the sixth day of golden week, and in just a few days more school will resume again. Unconsciously, Hibari remembered the little herbivore who had been accompanying him with the feeding. The small, weak, and cautious herbivore who, despite his obvious fear towards him, had braved it out and sat beside him on two separate occasions.

Hibari narrowed his eyes. Memories he wanted to forget suddenly resurfaced in his mind. He scrunched his black brows in annoyance. He then hugged his knees, grabbing the sleeves of his polo shirt as he tried his best to bury the memories.

"Chirp, chirp?"

Hibari looked down, and saw the bird looking up at him worriedly. He tried to smile.

"Don't worry. I'm fine," he said as he petted the bird. "And sorry if it's still too early, but I need to go now." He then changed the bird's bandages, left enough food for the day, before finally turning around and leaves.

... .. .

"Kyo-kun? You're early today! There's still a few hours left before lunch," Hibari's mother commented when she glanced at the clock, well aware of her son's morning activities with the bird.

"..."

His mother's blue eyes filled with worry. "What's wrong?" She asked gently as she knelt before him. She looked at his downcast eyes, and realized what was bothering her son.

She hugged him. "I know you already know this Kyo-kun, but your father only did what he thought was right. Even if the whole world doesn't agree with him, he'll still do it. That's just the kind of man he is. And I'm sure, if he's here right now, he'll definitely say that he'll make the same decision as he did back then, and that he doesn't have any regrets of doing so."

She then felt warm tears on her bare shoulders. She smiled sadly, and held her son closer.


	14. Chapter 13: The stubborn duo

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

 **[Updated 11/3/15: Fixed some grammar mistakes.]**

... .. .

 **Chapter 13: The stubborn duo**

It was a very beautiful day. The sky was wonderfully clear, the morning air just the right warmth, and the birds sang happily at the glorious atmosphere.

It was the last day of golden week, and one very unlikely pair was engaged in a very heated argument.

"But why not, Hibari-san!"

"Because I said no!"

"That doesn't even make any sense!"

"It doesn't have to!"

Backtrack to half an hour earlier, Sawada Tsunayoshi had woken up early that day for one specific purpose—to see Hibari and ask him to be his friend. The night before, he had asked his mother if he could walk to school by himself when classes resume, just like the other kids. Nana didn't agree at first, but she was eventually persuaded both by her husband and son. And for practice, Tsuna suggested that he would visit the school immediately the next morning.

Fifteen minutes after leaving his house, the brunette came face to face with the closed iron gates of Namimori Yochien. If it was the Sawada Tsunayoshi of two weeks ago facing the tall obstacle right now, he would had been discouraged and readily gave up on his goal. But the Tsuna of now wouldn't. Somehow, somewhere, the small brunette had found the resolution to move forward and to not be afraid. Truthfully, he felt like a flame had lighted up inside him—a very warm flame that embodied his courage and resolve.

Tsuna now looked to his left and right, making sure no one was looking, before climbing up the gate. He carefully climbed down, and when he was finally on the ground, he bolted towards the place he knew Hibari would be.

... .. .

Tsuna stopped at the corner of the school building, catching his breath first before peeking to see if Hibari was already there.

And he was.

"G-Good morning, Hibari-san."

Startled, Hibari immediately turned around, and was surprised to see the herbivore.

"What are you doing here?"

Tsuna noticed something in the tone of Hibari's voice, and it wasn't annoyance. "Well, I just can't wait to feed the bird so I came..." he lied.

Hibari narrowed his eyes at Tsuna, before returning his attention to the bird. "There's no need. Just go home."

 _It's still there_ , Tsuna noted. An emotion in the skylark's voice that he couldn't decipher. He tried again. "B-But, I woke up early today just to see him! Look, I even bought some seeds yesterday just for him!"

"Then just leave the seeds and go."

"No."

Hibari turned to face Tsuna, surprised yet again at the herbivore.

"I won't leave, Hibari-san."

Hibari felt a soft twinge in his chest.

"Why?"

Tsuna took a deep breath. "Because I want to be friends with you," he declared, his caramel-brown eyes resolute. He then held out his hand.

"So will you please be my friend, Hibari-san?"

The skylark eyes' widened for a fraction as he gazed at the determined face before him. It took him a while to respond.

"...why?" he asked again.

"Because I don't want you to be alone anymore."

Hibari looked down on the ground, not wanting to see those honest eyes anymore. His heart then began to fill with emotions that would only clash with each other, while his mind started to debate on what to answer. He clenched his hands. A side finally won.

At last, he looked up, and gave Tsuna his answer. "I'm sorry," he quietly said, "but the answer is no." Hibari then paused for a moment, as if wanting to add more, before he decided against it and turned his back once more to Tsuna.

"Now please leave."

But Tsuna wouldn't. "I won't leave until you agree to be my friend," he said resolutely.

"I already said no already. _So leave._ "

"I won't."

Hibari was now annoyed. He stood up and faced the short herbivore.

"I'll never, _ever_ , be your friend. No one will be. So if you don't go home now, I won't let you feed the bird with me anymore."

"But—"

"Leave!"

"No!"

They stared at each other, none wanting to back down. Hibari clicked his tongue. He broke the gaze, took his empty bag of seeds, and started to walk towards the gate.

Tsuna followed him, leaving first the seeds he brought under a tree where the bird could see.

"Hibari-san!" he called out.

Hibari walked faster. "Stop following me. My answer will always be the same!"

"But why not, Hibari-san!"

"Because I said no!"

"That doesn't even make any sense!"

"It doesn't have to!"

The two were already out of the school, still arguing, when Hibari suddenly stopped when he heard a familiar voice.

"Kyo-kun?"

Hibari and Tsuna turned to where the voice was, and saw a beautiful woman with long, wavy hair that was as black as Hibari's.

"Who's that boy, Kyo-kun? You're friend?"

"He's just no one," Hibari answered as he looked down at the pavement, not wanting to meet her gaze.

Tsuna retaliated. "Umm, I want to be friends with him!" he said as he looked up at the woman.

Hibari growled.

"I already said no!"

"But why not!"

"Because I said so!"

"You're not making sense again!"

"I don't have to!"

The woman chuckled, making the two stop. "My, my, this is the first time I saw Kyo-kun like this," she said as she smiled at them. She then looked at Tsuna. "Ne, would you like to come over to our house? Today is actually Kyo-kun's birthday, and it's a little bit lonely if it's just the two of us who'll celebrate. See, I just bought the cake," she said as she showed the brunette a medium white box, an aroma of something sweet emanating from it.

"Okaa-san!"

But Hibari was too late, Tsuna already nodded.

Hibari's mother chuckled once more. "All right, let's go!"

... .. .

 **Author's note:** Ok, I really _really_ wished that this didn't happen to me, but alas - MY LAPTOP JUST FREAKING BROKE, taking with it all of my stories, anime, plates, _everything._ My project for my college course also suffered because of its horribly timed pseudo-death (it still can be fix, thank goodness).

BUT HAVE NO FEAR! Because I went to the repair shop earlier and was able to retrieve the files for TUD! Though I wasn't able to retrieve everything from my pseudo-dead laptop since my external HD doesn't have enough memory. It's a good thing we also have an extra laptop and computer here at home...

So in short, the updates will still be every other day, I'll just have a little difficulty in writing the sequel (yes, TUD has a sequel - I already said this somewhere in my profile).

And before I end my little note, sorry for the (major) OOCness (especially on Hibari's part). But as what I have stated on the warning above, they're still kids, so their personalities still haven't fully develop, or something...

Ciao.


	15. Chapter 14: Happy Birthday

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

 **Author's note:** _Engawa_ – Japanese garden viewing porch

 **[Updated 11/3/15: Fixed some grammar mistakes.]**

... .. .

 **Chapter 14: Happy Birthday**

"Happy Birthday!"

Hibari blew the seven candles on top of the white cake. His two companions then clapped happily as he silently rested back to his seat, his blue-gray eyes glaring at the vanilla-flavored cake his mother was currently slicing.

He crossed his arms unhappily.

Tsuna looked to his left, at the clearly dissatisfied Hibari, and almost wished that he hadn't agreed to the invitation. Almost. Since the brunette decided to become friends with the very scary Hibari Kyoya, he wouldn't pass up any chance of becoming closer to the older.

And that included celebrating the skylark's birthday.

"Come on Kyo-kun, don't make that face. You're friend's here to celebrate your birthday!"

 _"But I never agreed of inviting him. And he's not my friend."_ Was what Tsuna guessed Hibari would have said if he answered back. But Hibari just remained silent, now angrily staring at the wooden table.

Hibari's mother sighed. "Sorry Tsuna-kun, for my son acting like this. But I'm pretty sure he's happy that you're here to celebrate his birthday, he just has a hard time accepting it." She then placed a hand on Tsuna's head. "So please don't give up on him, ok?"

"H-Hai!" Tsuna replied.

They were already halfway through their celebration (meal actually, since they're just eating and talking), but Hibari still hadn't spoken a single word. Tsuna felt uncomfortable, especially since they were in a very spacious tatami room, with the small table they were eating on about the only item in the said room. Apparently, Hibari lived in a large, traditional Japanese house (one of many in the compound). Yuuki, the name of Hibari's mother as Tsuna had learned earlier, on the other hand just continued on telling happy stories about Hibari's earlier childhood, already used to her son's way of sulking.

So Tsuna just continued to listen too, about the side of Hibari Kyoya he didn't know. At times he was amazed, got scared, and laughed a little bit at Hibari's childishness. But what surprised him the most was the fact that Hibari didn't changed much, though from what he could understand from the stories, Hibari was a lot less distant back then.

There was also something bothering the brunette, about a figure purposely not mentioned in any of the stories Yuuki had told. Being the innocent child that he was, he had to ask.

"Umm, where's Hiba—Kyoya-san's dad?"

Hibari noticeably stiffened. Seeing the latter's reaction, Tsuna panicked. Feeling he asked something he wasn't supposed to, Tsuna was about to apologize when Yuuki stopped him with a gentle smile. "You see Tsuna-kun, Kyo-kun's father is in a far, happy place right now, so he can't join us. But I'm sure he still wants us to celebrate Kyo-kun's birthday even if he can't come."

Even though Tsuna was still too young to fully understand, he couldn't help but feel this sadness behind Yuuki's words. He then turned to look at Hibari, and was surprised to see him silently clenching his shaking hands, pleading them to stop. Tsuna squeezed tightly his own two little hands. He knew, if he wasn't there right now, tears would have already stained the skylark's cheeks.

... .. .

"Thank you Fon-kun, for coming all the way here even if Kyo-kun won't come out to see you."

"I already told you, it's fine. I was just in town and remembered that it was Kyoya's birthday, so I thought I should drop by."

"Really, you're still a terrible liar."

"You're about the only person in the whole world who can tell when I'm lying, Yuuki."

Yuuki chuckled. It was already late in the afternoon. Their guest already went home an hour ago, and when her son found out that Fon came for a visit, he quickly retreated to his room and locked himself there. Since then, the two decided to rest on the _engawa_ while enjoying a cup of green tea.

Yuuki looked fondly at Fon, who now looked like he was only two years old. Fon was her husband's distant cousin and her childhood friend. The three of them grew up together, so it was a big shock for the couple when a few years earlier Fon came one day looking like he did now. And no matter how much they questioned, he wouldn't reveal anything, and even if he did, he would definitely lie, though Yuuki would be the only one who could tell.

"You know, Fon-kun, earlier today there was a child who said he wanted to be friends with Kyo-kun," the dark-haired mother began after a few moments of comfortable silence, her eyes now gazing at her bare pale feet which was resting on the cold slab of stone below. "Even though he already knew that Kyo-kun is a little bit scary and aloof, he still said he wanted to be friends with him." Yuuki then paused, not quite convinced. "No, actually, I think _those_ where the reasons why he wanted to be friends with Kyo-kun. I think that child, Tsuna-kun, somehow sensed Kyo-kun's sadness, and so to take that away, he decided to become friends with him." Yuuki then raised her face to the sky, her sea-blue eyes blocked by her raven-colored bangs, not letting Fon see the emotions she was currently feeling.

"I... really wish that one day, those two will become friends."

A soft breeze passed by then, rustling the ever-green leaves on the tall trees not too far from them.

Fon smiled. "Don't worry Yuuki-san," he reassured. "I'm sure one day, they will."


	16. Chapter 15: Again?

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

 **[Updated 11/3/15: Fixed some grammar mistakes.]**

... .. .

 **Chapter 15: Again?**

Nana sighed for the umpteenth time, finally resting her chin on her upright arms.

"What is it now?" Iemitsu asked curiously.

"Well..." Nana paused, unsure of how to continue, "remember how Tsu-kun asked if he could walk to school from now on? Now a little while after he came home, he asked if he could do the same when going home."

"..." It took a while for Iemitsu to respond. "You mean, he wants to walk to _and_ from school? Our little Tsuna?!"

"That, or we pick him up an hour after their class ends. _Every day._ "

The two then looked at their five-year old son, who was now busy wrapping something he bought earlier on the kitchen floor.

It was Iemitsu's turn to sigh. "Ah~ how important is that bird to him?"

If only they knew, that it wasn't only one bird Tsuna was concerned about.

They were now actually two.

And so, the oblivious parents sighed again this time in unison, as they yielded once more to their son's request to be an hour late, though this time for every day.

 _Sigh._

... .. .

 **Author's rambling:** Sorry. I'm teasing again :)

Hahaha.

Oh and Happy Birthday Tsuna! Belated to Reborn too (Oct. 13) and Advance to Yuni (Oct. 15)!

Ciao!


	17. Chapter 16: The lonely bird

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

 **Author's rambling:** Well, someone kindly pointed out to me that last October 10 was Xanxus' birthday. Sure enough, when I looked at my calendar booklet, Xanxus' name was on the 10th. Damn me for not looking.

And so, belated Happy Birthday Xanxus!

 **A little fun fact:** Apparently, Birds, Hibird's original owner, has his birthday on the same day as Xanxus. So belated Happy Birthday? Haha. :)

Now that's done, here's your update for today! Enjoy :)

 **[Updated 11/3/15: Fixed some grammar mistakes.]**

... .. .

 **Chapter 16: The lonely bird**

It was now Monday, two days after Hibari's birthday. Tsuna hurriedly ran towards the back of the school building, where he knew a certain skylark was, most likely feeding the bird. When he finally got there, he paused to recover his breath. Hands on knees as he panted, Tsuna slowly looked up and was surprised at what he saw.

There was Hibari, his face up as he stared at the sky, the brown bird sitting quietly on his right shoulder. To an ordinary person, this wasn't really something to be surprised about. Well, except maybe that there was a bird on his right shoulder, but that was only it.

But Tsuna could _see_ , and maybe he was the only one who could. That was, the uncharacteristic sadness he once saw in the skylark's blue-gray eyes as he gazed up longingly at the wide, blue sky. Tsuna looked up too, and wondered briefly what Hibari could see or longed for, to make him look this sad.

A few seconds passed, and Tsuna finally walked up to Hibari and quietly called out his name.

"Hibari-san."

Hibari's eyes widened as he snapped back to reality. He turned his head and was surprised to see Tsuna beside him.

"Herbivore."

Without a word, Tsuna took out a small, clumsily wrapped box from his backpack and handed it to Hibari. The skylark tilted his head to the side and asked, "What is it?"

A blush crept to Tsuna's cheeks. "H-Hibari-san's gift."

"Gift?"

"F-For your birthday."

"But that ended more than a day ago."

"S-Still!" Tsuna cheeks reddened considerably as he felt more embarrassed. It was his first time giving someone a gift, and to Hibari no less. "E-Even so, I wasn't able to give Hibari-san a gift, even though it was your birthday. M-Mama and Papa always give me one whenever mine comes..."

"Hn..." Hibari looked down at the blushing herbivore, his hand still outstretched to him with the gift. "But you only found out that it was my birthday, herbivore."

"But!" Tsuna can't take it any longer, so he finally decided to push the gift to Hibari. "Just accept it, Hibari-san!"

"..." Without further ado, Hibari unwrapped the gift, which made Tsuna nervous. When the skylark opened the box, a brow shot up as he saw what was inside: a single, colorful, hand-woven ring with a simple string likely to be used if the ring was ever to be worn as a necklace.

"It's a friendship ring..." Tsuna explained. He then took a deep breath, before blurting out the thoughts he had since he saw the ring. "I know we're not friends yet, but one day, when we will, I-I wish Hibari-san would wear it as a sign of our friendship!"

 _Finally, I said it!_

Hibari looked down again at the colorful ring. "You said it's a friendship ring, so that means there's another one..."

"I have it," Tsuna said with a little more confidence. He then took out an identical ring from his bag and showed it to Hibari.

Somehow, somewhere deep inside him, Hibari felt some kind of comfort—a warmth, which he hadn't felt for a long time. "... you really are persistent, herbivore."

To Tsuna's great surprise, the skylark's cold, blue-gray eyes softened, while his lips formed something that Tsuna guessed for Hibari, was a smile.

Tsuna may not know it yet, but somewhere deep within Hibari's heart, he opened a door.

The brunette smiled warmly back.

"Happy Birthday, Hibari-san."


	18. Chapter 17: Warm bandages

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

 **[Updated 11/3/15: Fixed some grammar mistakes.]**

... .. .

 **Chapter 17: Warm bandages**

Class has ended, and after saying goodbye to his friends, Tsuna hurriedly ran to the place where he always met a certain skylark and a little brown bird, excited to feed the latter. But the brunette ran way too fast, and as fate would have it, he lost his footing and landed face down on the rough ground.

"Ow..." Tsuna did his best to hold back his tears. He sniffed. He then stood up, and as he did, he felt a sharp pain on his left knee. He looked down, and paled at the sight of his own blood on his scraped knee.

"Herbivore."

Tsuna snapped his head to the front and was shocked to see just a few feet away Hibari staring indifferently at him.

The skylark had witnessed everything.

Tsuna started to cry.

"Waaah!"

"Herbivore," Hibari called out again, though this time he sounded much closer. Tsuna didn't have enough time to be surprised at how fast Hibari closed the distance between them when he was forcibly sat down.

"Show me your wound." Tsuna obeyed. Hibari inspected the small scrape on Tsuna's knees. Shallow as it was, the wound still considerably bled and needed to be disinfected. Hibari sighed. Without a word, he took Tsuna's hand and led him.

"W-Where are we going, Hibari-san?"

"To the infirmary."

When they finally got there, they found the nurse was out. Hibari didn't mind. He entered nonchalantly and took the first aid kit at the bottom cabinet. He then pointed to a chair and looked at Tsuna, who was still standing cautiously by the door. "Sit over there. I'll treat your wound."

Surprised, Tsuna quietly obliged and sat. He was filled with wonder as the older boy knelt down to clean and disinfect his wound, before finally placing a bandage and patting it over.

"Next time, be more careful," Hibari quietly said before returning the kit to its proper place.

Tsuna's eyes widened in disbelief at what he just heard. He then touched the bandage, at the place where Hibari patted his palm down gently to secure it. It was warm.

Tsuna smiled gratefully.

"Ne, Hibari-san?"

"Hn?"

"Thanks."

Hibari blushed, if only Tsuna could see.


	19. Chapter 18: He remembers

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

 **[Updated 11/3/15: Fixed some grammar mistakes.]**

... .. .

 **Chapter 18: He remembers**

It was such an ordinary day. As usual, Tsuna was feeding the bird with Hibari, though the latter got up and ran off when he remembered something he forgot in his classroom.

So it was quite a shock when Tsuna heard it.

"Sawada Tsunayoshi."

Tsuna could recognize that stoic voice anywhere. He sharply turned to Hibari, who looked as unconcerned as ever.

 _H-He remembers my name!_

For really, ever since they met, it was the first time Hibari called Tsuna by his name.

The skylark cocked his head to the side, curious at the astonished expression on Tsuna's face. "Herbivore," he called out again.

Tsuna snapped out of his reverie and belatedly noticed Hibari's outstretched arm. In the older boy's hand was a small bag of cookies.

"Okaa-san baked them. She said to give some to you," Hibari explained.

"T-Thanks," Tsuna stuttered as he took the treats. He then looked away.

"Is there something wrong?" Hibari asked as he sat in his usual place beside the brunette.

"No! I-It's nothing..."

Hibari wasn't convinced. "Are you sure?"

"Y-Yeah!" Tsuna stuttered again, still refusing to face Hibari. Quickly he took out a cookie and gave it a bite, wishing that Hibari wouldn't notice the deepening blush on his cheeks.

... .. .

 **:)**


	20. Chapter 19: We should--

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

 **[Updated 11/3/15: Fixed some grammar mistakes.]**

... .. .

 **Chapter 19: We should really give him a name**

"Ne, Hibari-san?"

"Hn?"

"We should really give Bird-san a name."

"..." Hibari turned his head to face his companion. Tsuna was dead serious, as far as he could tell, with the brunette's eyebrows all scrunched up as he looked at the little brown bird.

"I thought his name was Bird-san?"

"Well, yeah... but I also think it's too common."

Hibari now turned his gaze to the brown bird. Its wound had healed a long time ago, and now it could fly out and live anywhere it wanted to, but somehow it chose to stay at the school, with them.

He didn't really hate it.

"What do you suggest then?" he asked as he continued feeding the bird.

"Umm..." Tsuna thought long and hard. "How about Spot?"

"That's a dog's name."

"Browny?"

"That's still a dog's name."

"Cocoa?"

Hibari raised a brow at Tsuna. "Do you want a dog?"

"...maybe" Tsuna answered sheepishly.

Hibari sighed and looked at the bird. It tilted its head to the side, wondering what they were talking about.

"...how about Isamu?"

Tsuna blinked. "Isamu?"

"It means brave, courageous," Hibari explained as he drew the kanji on the ground. "He wasn't really in good shape when I first found him," he began as he remembered the day he first saw the bird. "I really thought that he was going to die."

It was the day after school started. Hibari was up on the roof, taking a nap, when suddenly he heard a loud cry. When he investigated, he saw the bird underneath a sakura tree, its wing torn and bleeding.

"The wing must have caught in a branch when he was flying. I fixed it as best as I could, since the veterinary clinic was too far. But that's the only thing I could do. Recovering was all up to the bird. But with all the blood he lost, I estimated that he only had a day left to live." Hibari paused as his fingers lightly caressed the bird's head. "Yet, he never gave up. He fought bravely, until finally, he recovered," he finished.

Tsuna stared at Hibari in awe. He then faced the brave little bird and smiled.

"I think Isamu is the perfect name for him." He then caressed the bird's body, his fingertips gently touching its fully healed wing. "From now on, your name is Isamu! Isn't that great?"

Somehow, Isamu understood and chirped in happiness.

"Chirp, chirp, chirp!"


	21. Chapter 20: A glimpse

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

 **Author's rambling:** Ok, I might be overreacting a little here but– oh my _glob_ – more than 100 reviews already?! Seriously?! 'Cause we haven't even covered half of the chapters yet!

Really, guys – _OMG_ – thank you very much!

To the silent ones out there, thank you too for continuing on reading this fic! :) And to those who favorite'd and are still following this story, thanks a bunch too!

And so, without further ado, here's your update for today! :)

 **[Updated 11/3/15: Fixed some grammar mistakes.]**

... .. .

 **Chapter 20: A glimpse**

It was still May, and Hibari and Tsuna were now closer than before. Not quite friends yet, but not just acquaintances either.

And today was quite a rare day for the two.

The unexpected pair was walking down the shopping district, there to buy some food for their little brown bird. It was quite a surprise to know that they both ran out of bird seeds at the same time, and when Hibari announced that he would buy some, Tsuna ecstatically asked if he could come. Hibari of course, said no to the brunette's company. But Tsuna persuaded and persevered, until the older sighed in defeat and finally agreed.

"Wow, Hibari-san look at that!"

Point.

"That looks so cool, Hibari-san!"

Point.

"I can't believe they have something like this, Hibari-san!"

Point.

"I think Isamu would like this, Hibari-san!"

Hibari facepalmed. He felt like a mother with an overenthusiastic son. But the older never really pacified the brunette—he knew it would only be useless, so he just let him be.

"I really had fun today Hibari-san! Let's do this again, ne?" Tsuna said as he happily smiled.

Hibari didn't answer, as he silently debated if he really wanted to do this kind of shopping with the annoying brunette or not. Weighing in the pros and cons, he finally did answer, which mildly surprised Tsuna.

"Alright."

"So it really is Kyoya!"

The pair turned around. Walking towards them were three taller kids; three kids who looked like were around Hibari's age, a wicked grin plastered to each of their faces.

Tsuna suddenly felt a murderous aura beside him—a chilling aura which could only belong to one person. Nervously, he turned his head to look at Hibari, and his large brown eyes widened.

For in the usual stoic and nonchalant eyes of Hibari was nothing but pure rage.

"H-Hibari-san?"

It was either Hibari did not hear Tsuna or he chose to ignore him, as the skylark's eyes were currently locked on the three that were slowly approaching them.

"Yo Kyoya! Long time no see. Who's that little runt with you?" The one at the front, probably the leader of the small group, mockingly asked.

Hibari growled. "He's no one you need to be concerned about."

"Oh?" The tall leader looked down at Hibari, the wicked smile never leaving his face. "So our little Kyoya made a friend? What a surprise!"

And then the three laughed.

Tsuna was confused.

Hibari had enough. He clenched his shaking fists, regretting he left his wooden tonfas at home. He was then about to properly pacify the annoying herbivores when a voice suddenly stopped him.

" _Violence isn't always the answer, Kyoya."_

"Tsk!" Hibari turned around and started to walk away.

"Hibari-san!" Tsuna shouted as he watched Hibari walked further from him. He gave the three older boys one last confused look before he followed the angry skylark.

"Kyoya!"

Hibari did not stop.

"Say hello to your old man for me!"

If looks could kill, Hibari would've already made a massacre.

... .. .

Namimori Park. Fifteen minutes after their encounter, Hibari was silently sitting on a swing, Tsuna seated beside him on the other one.

"H-Hibari-san—"

"Stop."

They were like this since earlier—with Tsuna trying to start a conversation while Hibari successfully silencing him.

As brows creased in deep worry, Tsuna looked down on his small shoed feet. It was the first time he saw Hibari like this. He may be silent, but Tsuna could feel the seeping anger from the skylark. Who were those older boys anyway? Why did Hibari hate them so much? And what did they do to make him like this?

He had so many questions, but Tsuna felt that he shouldn't ask them. Maybe later, but now he couldn't. He tried starting a conversation again. "Ne, Hibari-san—"

"Please _,"_ Hibari pleaded. He tightened his grip on the chains that held the swing, his eyes obscured by his bangs. "Just—just leave me alone for now, okay?"

Tsuna turned sharply at Hibari. "You know I can't!"

"Please, Sawada Tsunayoshi."

"But—"

" _Please._ "

That was the second time Hibari ever called his name. And Tsuna wasn't happy about it.

"Alright, Hibari-san. See—see you then."

With a dejected look on his face, Tsuna left, leaving Hibari and the bird seeds they bought beside the skylark's feet.

On that lonely walk back to his home, Tsuna felt that something in their relationship, whatever it was, was severed. He then promised to himself to cling onto whatever bond they had left, no matter how thin and fragile it had become.


	22. Chapter 21: The fight

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

 **[Updated 11/3/15: Fixed some grammar mistakes.]**

... .. .

 **Chapter 21: The fight**

Tsuna took a nervous breath and exhaled. It was Monday, two days after the incident at the shopping district. Tsuna hadn't seen or talked to Hibari since then—on those two days of the weekend, the brunette didn't go to the school to feed Isamu with Hibari, in order to give space the latter needed.

Now with both hands gripping the strap of his backpack, Tsuna walked towards the back of the school, silently approaching Hibari when he got there. For a moment he hesitated, but finally he called out.

"H-Hibari-san?"

Hibari paused from feeding Isamu to look at Tsuna.

"G-Good afternoon," Tsuna greeted.

"What are you standing over there for, herbivore?"

"Huh?" Hibari had a point. Usually, Tsuna would only be a few inches away when he greeted the skylark, but right now he was standing a good five feet away.

Tsuna fidgeted. The ground suddenly looked interesting to him. "A-Aren't you angry, Hibari-san?"

"Why would I be angry?" Hibari asked as he slightly tilted his head to the side.

"Ah—eh, well, you know, because of the other day..."

Hibari's eyes narrowed, before returning his gaze to the bird.

"Forget what happened that day," Hibari ordered. "Also... there's no reason for me to be angry at you," he added softly.

Tsuna smiled a little. He plopped down beside Hibari and started to feed Isamu too.

But the brunette couldn't really forget that day. The same questions he had that time never really quite left his mind. And so, mustering whatever courage he could again, he tried to ask.

"Umm... Hibari-san?"

"Hn?"

"..." This proved to be harder than he thought.

"What is it, herbivore?"

"Ah, well... " Tsuna took another deep breath. "Who—who were those kids back then?"

Hibari noticeably stiffened, a dark aura now slowly seeping out from him. "I told you to drop it, didn't I?"

But Tsuna couldn't be deterred. "B-But those kids seem to know you, and—and they seem to make you feel bad so I just..."

" _You just what?_ " Hibari spat, making Tsuna cringe.

"I just..." Tsuna repeated, "... want to help..." he trailed off quietly.

Hibari's eyes narrowed in irritation. "It's none of your business." He then stood up and started to walk away, but Tsuna grabbed his left hand and stopped him.

"Please, Hibari-san! If there's just something I can do..."

"Why?" Hibari asked through gritted teeth, his back to the brunette.

"Why? It's because—" Tsuna paused, debating if he should say it or not. He then looked up, and with determined eyes he finally did. "It's because I don't want to see you look so hurt anymore, Hibari-san."

Hibari snapped. He violently shook his hand away from Tsuna and faced him. "What do you even know about me?!" Hibari demanded. "Why do you even want to—to help me so much?!"

"Isn't it obvious? It's because I—"

"—want to be your friend?" Hibari snickered. Tsuna's eyes widened. "That's not what I—"

"Forget it. I don't want your friendship."

Hibari began to walk away again, only to be stopped by Tsuna once more. "Stop being so stubborn Hibari-san!"

"I'm not being stubborn!" He faced Tsuna. "You're the one who is!"

"...!"

"And stop trying to be friends with me anymore! Ever since I met you, you were nothing but a _nuisance_ ," Hibari made sure to hiss the word. He wriggled his hand free again, and started to walk now successfully away from the brunette.

Tsuna just stared in shock at Hibari's retreating form before he looked down, eyes covered by his bangs, and clenched his trembling hands. For a moment, he had thought their bond wasn't really severed, that he just imagined it the other day, and that the only thing connecting them wasn't a very thin, very fragile thread. But Tsuna was proven otherwise. Because now, as Hibari left him with a very confused and worried little bird, he could feel the imaginary broken thread fall, silently and definitely, on the cold, hard ground.


	23. Chapter 22: This time, for sure

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

 **[Updated 11/3/15: Fixed some grammar mistakes.]**

... .. .

 **Chapter 22: This time, for sure**

It had almost been a week since Tsuna and Hibari last talked. The day after they fought, Tsuna actually went to see Hibari at the usual place to apologize. He was then shocked and saddened to see that the skylark wasn't there. Only a single bowl of bird seeds was left in his place.

 _Hibari-san..._

Tsuna even went up to the roof, to the place where he first saw the skylark. But he wasn't there either. For three days he repeatedly searched for Hibari like this, but it was like he was never there in the first place. The only evidence of the older boy's presence was the bowl of bird seeds, and nothing more. Tsuna even asked Ryohei if he was attending class, to which the white-haired said he did.

Finally on the fourth day since their fight, Tsuna gave up.

... .. .

Friday, break time. Tsuna didn't have the heart to play with the other kids, so he just sat by himself against a tree and buried his head in his arms. _Hibari-san must really hate me..._ he thought depressingly. _Why would he even go this far to avoid me?_ Small tears then started to form in the corner of his eyes, when a familiar voice called out to him.

"Are you alright, Tsuna-kun?" It was Kyoko.

Quickly, Tsuna wiped away the tears and faked a smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. Why?"

"I don't believe you." Now it was Takeshi who spoke, standing just behind the female brunette.

"What are you saying, Takeshi-kun? I really am fi—" Big, fat tears began to unwillingly roll down Tsuna's cheeks, causing him to stop. "I—" He tried to wipe them away, but they just continued to flow down. "I..." He finally let them out freely, as the feelings he tried to bottle up came out.

Takeshi and Kyoko smiled in understanding. They then kneeled and hugged Tsuna as he cried, for the first time, in a long while.

... .. .

"So what happened?" Kyoko asked.

"..."

"This is about Hibari, isn't it?" Takeshi guessed.

Tsuna turned to Takeshi, surprised. "Eh? How did you know?"

Takeshi rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, you always ran off somewhere whenever it's time to go home. So one day I was curious and followed you, and I saw you and Hibari together."

"Wow, Tsuna-kun! I can't believe you and Hibari-san are friends!" Kyoko exclaimed in amazement. "Was that why you asked Onii-chan about him yesterday?"

"Yeah but... Hibari-san and I are not... friends yet..." Tsuna answered quietly. "I think we were getting there, being friends I mean but... then something happened and—and we fought and—" Tsuna stopped as he remembered their fight, tears threatening to fall again from his very sore eyes. "E-Ever since the treasure hunt, I was doing my best to be his friend but, I-I guessed I pried too much and he got angry and... and..." Tsuna had to pause again. "Now he no longer wants anything to do with me."

The three were then silent for a while, before Tsuna jumped when he felt something on his left shoulder.

It was Takeshi's hand. "Well, from what I've heard, you've been doing everything you can to be Hibari's friend right?"

Tsuna nodded.

"So why give up now?"

"Eh?" Tsuna looked at Takeshi, confused.

Takeshi grinned. "I don't really know what you guys fought about, but you know Tsuna, whenever I'm in the wrong, I always try my best to apologize immediately."

"I think Yamamoto-kun's right, Tsuna-kun!" Kyoko happily agreed. "Also, I think if you let this go on much longer, it will be much harder for you to apologize, until the day comes when you can't at all. Surely, you don't want that, right?"

Tsuna shook his head. Of course he still wanted to make up with Hibari, but—

"But Hibari-san's been avoiding me all this time. I always miss him since their class always ends earlier than ours."

"I think today you'll be able to meet him." The two boys looked at Kyoko. "Earlier, I heard Aoki-sensei was going to end the class earlier than usual, since he has a date today!"

Tsuna remembered that kindergarten gossips were never wrong. A small hope lit up inside him.

This time for sure, he would apologize to Hibari, and then somehow, maybe, restore whatever relationship they once had.

... .. .

"That was really unexpected," Kyoko said after she gave her good luck and waved her good bye to Tsuna.

"What is?" Takeshi asked.

"Tsuna-kun and Hibari-san," Kyoko pointed out. "I never knew how close they were, or the friendship they somehow had. Maybe because they're such an unlikely pair?"

"Hmm... really?" Takeshi said. "Honestly, I think they make the perfect pair!" He then gave Kyoko his signature laugh.

Kyoko thought over it. She giggled. "They do make an interesting duo."


	24. Chapter 23: Finally

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

 **[Updated 11/3/15: Fixed some grammar mistakes.]**

... .. .

 **Chapter 23: Finally**

After receiving the cheers and good lucks from Kyoko and Takeshi, Tsuna ran as fast as he could to the back of the school. Heart thumping faster as he got nearer, he stopped when he was still a few feet away. If Hibari was really there, he didn't want to alert him with his heavy running. So he then tiptoed quietly, peeking slowly behind the school building as he searched for the skylark.

 _Hibari-san!_

At last, Tsuna saw the older boy with the raven-colored hair and snow-pale complexion, though his back was to him, pouring bird seeds into a bowl. The brunette then quickly sprinted forward and tackled Hibari to the hard ground. Caught in surprise, Hibari wasn't able to get away in time. Tsuna then held both of Hibari's forearms and with all his strength, pinned the raven-haired below him.

"Hibari-san!" Tsuna shouted before he hushed, to catch his breath. Hibari did not struggle.

The two lay like that for a few moments—Hibari pinned down as he stared up to Tsuna, while Tsuna gazed down as he held Hibari to the ground—before the brunette broke the tense silence with his cry.

"Hibari-san..." Large drops of tears began to fall from Tsuna's caramel-brown eyes, each landing on Hibari's pale cheeks. "I'm sorry." More tears escaped. "I'm really, really sorry for—for prying too much... I was just worried, but then you started to avoid me and—and it really hurt so," Tsuna then sniffed, "so please, _please,_ forgive me."

"..." Hibari gazed at Tsuna for a long, long while, before he relaxed, blue-gray eyes softening, lips whispering.

'Alright...'

"Huh?"

"I said I accept your apology."

Tsuna's eyes brightened. "R-Really?"

"Yes. Now get off me, my arms hurt."

Tsuna chuckled. He rolled off and lay down beside Hibari, who still didn't bother to get up.

"It was... quiet when you're not around," Hibari confessed. It truthfully was. Though they were silent most of the time whenever they fed Isamu, Tsuna would sometimes start a conversation, to which Hibari would respond with curt replies. The skylark never knew he would miss that, or the annoying brunette beside him. Yes—Tsuna had step foot on a territory Hibari wasn't ready to open, but the skylark was willing to forgive that if it meant he could have Tsuna by his side again. He already grew too attached to herbivore after all.

Tsuna laughed in good nature at Hibari's confession, wiping away his already shed tears as he did so. It was then quiet for another while, before Hibari spoke again.

"Herbivore."

Tsuna turned his head to face Hibari.

"I'm sorry," Hibari said as he gazed up at the sky. "For shouting and directing my anger at you. But, I still..." he paused. "I still can't tell you anything, so—"

"Don't worry, Hibari-san. I'll wait for the day when you can."

For the first time for far too long a while, Hibari Kyoya fully smiled. He then asked a question.

"...do you...still want to be friends?"

Tsuna was caught in surprise at what he just heard, rendering him speechless.

Hibari turned and met Tsuna's widened gaze. "So...?"

The brunette finally found his voice. "Of—of course! I still do!"

"It's settled then," Hibari finalized.

Tsuna smiled.

"Herbivore?" Hibari called out for the last time.

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

Tsuna looked up and gazed too at the wide, blue sky, a large smile on his lips. He then remembered the day he vowed to make Hibari his friend. He was looking back then at an orange sky, his hand up as he made a silent wish.

He closed his eyes. He felt like a weight was lifted off his heart. Though he still wondered who were those kids that confronted Hibari, just as he promised, he wouldn't ask. He would patiently wait for the day when Hibari could finally open up to him. And until that day comes, Tsuna would make sure to take good care of their new founded friendship.

... .. .

 **Author's rambling:** Finally, _finally,_ they're friends. It took me a whole frigging 23 (mostly short, sans the prologue) chapters before they become so. Sheesh.

Well, see you again the day after tomorrow :)

Ciao~


	25. Chapter 24: Another--

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

 **Author's note:** Whoa– what's this?! An update?! But it's only Saturday! Didn't I rambled last chapter that I'll update the day after Saturday?!

Well, actually, it's already Sunday here in the Philippines (around 3:18 am). I updated early because today, November 1, I have to go back to my hometown and spend the rest of my day (and night, probably) at my family's grave, as our tradition dictates (just google "all saints day/ all souls day in the philippines" if you want to know why).

And so, here's your early update, you lucky readers!

 **[Updated 11/3/15: Fixed some grammar mistakes.]**

... .. .

 **Chapter 24: Another extreme adventure begins! ~The case of the missing hedgehog~**

On the Monday after Tsuna and Hibari became friends, the brunette told Takeshi and Kyoko. They congratulated him, maybe a little too much, which made Tsuna blush in embarrassment. Of course, since he told Kyoko, the other Sasagawa sibling was informed too.

"Yo, Tsuna! I heard from Kyoko that you and Hibari became friends!" Ryohei exclaimed one day after school, patting Tsuna at the back a little bit too hard as he did.

"Y-Yeah..." Tsuna said as he rubbed his back.

"Well, he's still as cold as always in the classroom, so to make him warm up a little, I thought of something really extreme!"

Tsuna had a hunch what it was.

"Let's have another extreme adventure!"

And he was right.

"But I don't really think Hibari-san will join us," Tsuna warned, "he hates crowding after all."

Ryohei was not discouraged. "Can't you at least ask him?"

"Well, I can but—"

"That's enough then! If he says yes, tell him we'll meet tomorrow at the park at one in the afternoon," Ryohei informed with an excited smile. "See you then, Tsuna!" And with that, the older Sasagawa ran off to his younger sibling, telling her all about the extreme adventure they would do the afternoon of the next day.

Tsuna sighed.

... .. .

"No way."

Tsuna wasn't even finished asking. He only mentioned Ryohei's name and Hibari immediately declined.

"But you hadn't even heard what I want to ask yet!"

Hibari narrowed his eyes. "Knowing that herbivore, I assume you're going to ask me if I would like to go to an "extreme adventure" or something."

He was dead right. Tsuna couldn't answer back.

Hibari returned his attention to Isamu. "You know I hate crowding."

"I know. But the last time we had an adventure, it was really fun. So I thought, maybe, Hibari-san would like to go to one too..." Tsuna trailed off as he remembered. Sure it was tiring, and the end result was disappointing, but he really did have fun on that extreme treasure hunt.

"..." Hibari turned his head to look at Tsuna, whose mumbling suddenly ceased. He gazed at his friend's saddened face, at the way his brows furrowed lightly and his mouth formed a small pout, all because of the thought—or confirmation—that he would not go adventuring with them.

The skylark sighed, and after a much heated internal debate, finally agreed.

"Fine."

"Eh?"

"I'll go."

Tsuna's face lit up in obvious happiness, but then it quickly died down. _Huh?_ He felt a pang in his chest. He grabbed his shirt, and wondered what it was.

"Is there something wrong?" Hibari asked when he noticed Tsuna's smile turned into a frown again.

"Eh—no, it's nothing," Tsuna assured, his happy smile back on his face. Hibari stared at Tsuna for a few more seconds before he finally shrugged his shoulders and returned to feeding Isamu, leaving Tsuna to push aside whatever it was that he felt.

... .. .

Tsuna looked sideways at Hibari. He wasn't nervous, but he was worried. Hibari looked _really_ unhappy as they stood there in the middle of the park, waiting for the others to arrive. Well, they were a bit early (around fifteen minutes or so), still, Tsuna knew how long the older boy's patience could only last.

And really, it wasn't much.

"Tsuna!"

Tsuna silently thank the gods.

"Kyoko-chan! Ryohei-san!" he happily called out. He then noticed another person. His eyes widened. "and... Kurokawa?!"

"Hmph." Hana crossed her arms. She didn't bother to hide her annoyance.

"Oh! I see you were able to bring Hibari too!" Ryohei smiled widely. "Thanks, Tsuna! This adventure will definitely be fun! I guarantee it!"

Hibari clicked his tongue loudly. He then looked away, annoyed too.

Tsuna facepalmed. He wished Takeshi would arrive soon.

... .. .

"So here it is!" Ryohei said as he lifted up the paper he was holding. "Our next extreme adventure!"

Tsuna and Takeshi went closer for a better look. The latter read out loud the largest word on the piece of paper.

"Missing..." Takeshi squinted his eyes. "Is that a hedgehog?"

It was half an hour past one in the afternoon. After introductions were made (mostly to Hibari), the group was now standing underneath a large tree, discussing their current adventure as they cool beneath its shade.

"Are you saying we came all this way just to look for that... thing?" Hana pointed in disgust.

"Yup!" Ryohei replied.

Hana sighed in anger. "I'm sorry Kyoko, but I don't think I can do this." She turned around. "Besides, I really don't like playing with kids." And started to walk away.

 _Aren't you a kid too?!_

Ryohei then laughed knowingly. "If you walk away now, you won't be able to have a share in the reward!"

"As if any reward would—"

"It's an all-you-can eat sweets buffet."

Hana paused midstride and turned sharply back to Ryohei. Any kid, no matter what age, couldn't resist the temptation of eating as many sweets as one wanted. Even Hana.

But she wouldn't give in easily. "...how are you so sure that that's the reward? That paper doesn't even say anything." For other than the picture of the hedgehog and the word MISSING, the only thing left printed on the paper was the owner's contact.

This time Ryohei smiled. "That's because the owner of this hedgehog is our neighbour!" he revealed. "A day or two ago, Tanaka-san took out Mami—that's the name of the hedgehog—here in the park. A few minutes after they settled in, Tanaka-san heard the cage open. And when he checked to see what happened, he was too late. Mami was already running away from him." Ryohei paused to lift up the paper again. "And so, Tanaka-san printed these. He asked Kyoko and I for help, and said that if we do find Mami, he'll make us that buffet!"

Kyoko nodded excitedly. "Tanaka-san makes really delicious sweets! Cakes, cookies, parfaits—he can make anything! You won't be disappointed!"

"Alright, alright." Hana gave in, finally. "I'll stay."

"So where did the hedgehog run off to?"

Everyone turned to Hibari, surprised. It wasn't because he spoke, but it was mainly because the skylark was _interested._

Tsuna was shocked too. _I guess Hibari-san wants that buffet too huh..._ he thought. He was actually wrong.

Hibari just ignored them. "So where did she run off to, herbivore?"

"Over there." Ryohei pointed his thumb behind him. "Into the forest."

They all looked at the cool, dark forest, where unknown things were waiting for them within the thickly intertwined trees.

"Well," Ryohei began to return their attention to him. "I heard from Tanaka-san that hedgehogs don't really move much during the day. So the only thing that we're really going to look for is something like an unmoving ball of spike! Easy, ne?"

"You do know that hedgehogs are nocturnal, right?" Hibari suddenly questioned.

"Huh? What's that?" Ryohei asked, white brows crunched together.

"...it means they're only active at night... or when it's dark." Like the forest.

They all looked again at the thick cluster of trees, and blinked.

Well, at least it's alive.

And moving.

 _Sigh._


	26. Chapter 25: Catch it!

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

 **Author's rambling:** Huh. Apparently, it was the marshmallow-addict's birthday last week. So was Chikusa's.

And yesterday was Turmeric's.

Huh.

Happy Birthday~

... .. .

 **Chapter 25: Catch it!**

"I really think we should split in pairs. It's too dark in there to go alone," Takeshi suggested.

Everyone agreed.

"Alright then!" Ryohei exclaimed as he looked at them. "Tsuna, you go with Kyoko. Yamamoto and Hibari will go together. That leaves me with Kurokawa."

"Hey wait! Why am I paired with you?!" Hana retaliated. "I want to be with Kyoko!"

"But we can't just let two girls go in by themselves," Ryohei explained. "What if something happens?"

He did have a point.

So Hana didn't say anything further.

Tsuna looked at Hibari, who was silently leaning against a tree, his eyes closed. He didn't dislike the idea of being paired up with up Kyoko, but...

"Yo, Hibari!" Takeshi called as he approached the older boy. "Guess we'll be working together! Let's have fun, alright?"

"Hn."

Tsuna felt that pang in his chest again. He absentmindedly grabbed his shirt, his eyes cast down. He then heard someone call his name.

"Tsuna-kun!" It was Kyoko. "Let's do our best, ne?"

"Y-Yeah..." Tsuna answered weakly. He stole another glance at Hibari and Takeshi's direction, that twinge in his chest still there.

 _Hibari-san..._

... .. .

"Ne, Tsuna-kun, are you alright?"

"Eh?" Tsuna turned around and faced a worried looking Kyoko. "W-What do you mean, Kyoko-chan?" Tsuna tried to smile. Somehow, that one question really got to him, rattling his little heart. Kyoko didn't answer. She only looked at Tsuna, worry still etched on her face.

The two then unconsciously lowered their flashlight, and the barely illuminated forest became darker and darker as they did so. The failed smile on Tsuna's lips was now replaced by a sad frown, prompting Kyoko to finally speak again.

"Tsuna-kun..."

Tsuna gripped the hem of his shirt. "Kyoko-chan, I—" he stopped, not knowing how to continue. "...I was really happy when Hibari-san agreed to join us today, really I was. But then, I felt really weird here." Tsuna gripped the part of his shirt above his chest. "It hurt, like—like someone was pinching my heart. I didn't mind it at first but then, earlier, when I saw Takeshi-kun being friendly with Hibari-san, I felt it again. And," Tsuna paused as he tightened his grip on his blue shirt. "I still do."

"Tsuna-ku—" Honey-colored eyes widened as realization dawned. It was during these times when the usually oblivious Sasagawa Kyoko suddenly became perceptive. Then and there she knew the reason behind her friend's pain. "Tsuna-kun, I really think you're—"

But before she could tell Tsuna, they both heard a loud scream.

"Isn't that—"

"Hana!"

They ran as fast as they could to the scream's source, and when both were sure that they were just a few feet away, they were suddenly knocked down by a fast moving Ryohei.

"COME BACK HERE!" Ryohei shouted as he stopped just a foot away from the knocked pair. He was frantically snapping his head left and right as he searched for the culprit that caused his anger.

"What happened?!" Takeshi asked as he and Hibari emerged between two trees. "We heard a scream and—"

"We found her!" Ryohei shouted. "We found Mami! But then she prickled Kurokawa and ran away!"

"The hedgehog?!" Takeshi exclaimed.

"You must have scared her," Hibari stated.

Ryohei snapped at Hibari. "WE THOUGHT SHE WAS ASLEEP! So we tried to pick her up and—"

"Onii-chan calm down!" Kyoko said as she grabbed her brother's arm, already used to Ryohei's outbursts, however rare. "Where's Hana?"

"I'm here," Hana said as she raised her hand in attendance.

"Hana! Are you alright?" Kyoko asked worriedly, her hands still gripping her brother's arm.

"I'm fine... I think I just overreacted a little," Hana said as a small blush crept to her cheeks. "I did get prickled, but it didn't hurt as much as I thought it would. And look, there's no blood." She then showed them her prickled finger.

Everyone sighed in relief. Kyoko then released her brother as she felt him finally calm down.

"Anyway," Ryohei coughed. "For now we should—" A movement abruptly caught his eye, and the white-haired immediately turned his head to that direction. Everyone followed suit. A small, little prickly animal then came out from underneath the leaves and cocked its head to the side, before dashing away from them.

"—catch that hedgehog!"

And so they all swiftly chased after little Mami, all except one, particular skylark.

"..."

... .. .

 **Author's note:** A little announcement—somewhat—I finally corrected the embarrassing grammar mistakes in my first fanfiction (from five years ago), Tsuna's Mukuro, and also rephrased the rather confusing sentences there. It's much more readable now, so if anyone's interested to read or reread it, just go to my profile or search it in the search engine :)

Ciao~


	27. Chapter 26: Confession

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

... .. .

 **Chapter 26: Confession**

"Did you catch her, Yamamoto?" Ryohei shouted as he emerged from a shrub.

"Sorry, senpai! I lost sight of her!" Takeshi replied somewhere in a bush.

Ryohei wiped the sweat from his forehead. "How about you?" He asked as he turned to the three searching on the forest floor. "Did you see where Mami went?" The three shook their heads in answer.

All of them then sighed. They could no longer remember how many times they had almost caught the little hedgehog. But every single time they thought it would finally be captured, it always managed to evade their grasp.

"What now?" Takeshi asked as he sat on the ground. The others followed him and pondered.

"...maybe we should call it off and try again tomorrow?" Ryohei suggested. It wasn't a bad suggestion. They were all tired, hungry, and frankly losing hope. But no one stood up.

No one wanted to give in yet.

Few moments of silence passed them again before one by one they all stood up, a new surge of energy coursing through each of them as they all remembered the reward.

They were determined to win.

And they were all determined to have that all-you-can-eat sweets buffet.

Ryohei wiped the saliva from his chin. "All right, let's go!"

"Ossu!"

 _Pop._

As if on cue, the head of the little hedgehog popped out from beneath the scattered leaves, right in front of the newly energized group. It took a few sniff in the air before sprinting away.

Ryohei grinned. "Let's go!"

... .. .

They were close now. They lost sight of it a few times, but now they could see the little mammal well. It still had a good lead from them, but they knew they would be able to catch it.

One thought ran in the five children's minds.

 _We'll finally have that buffet!_

Takeshi threw away his flashlight as he lunged for the hedgehog. "Caught you!"

But the hedgehog veered to the right on the last second, and Takeshi's hands landed on solid dirt.

"Don't worry Yamamoto, I'll catch her!" Ryohei said as he increased his speed before he himself jumped.

"TO THE EXTREME!"

The hedgehog turned again, this time to the left.

"Huh?"

Ryohei landed on the ground with a loud thud. Kyoko stopped and went to her brother to help. "Are you alright, Onii-chan?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine," Ryohei reassured before standing up. "Come on, we can't stop now."

The five continued again, the little hedgehog now farther away from them but not too far that they couldn't see it. They then paused, as it suddenly stopped. Silently they nodded their heads to each other as they agreed to give it a surprise attack, hiding then behind a large tree as they waited for the opportune time.

'Wait for it...' Ryohei whispered as he silently raised a hand.

Slowly the hedgehog crept to a bundle of large leaves. It sniffed around, and the five noticed that there was something place atop the bundle.

 _Is that... food?_

It was. The hedgehog started eating happily.

Ryohei saw this as a chance.

'Now!'

But before they could get out from their hiding place, someone stepped out from the shadows and reached a pale hand to the hedgehog. Everyone panicked and thought Mami would run away again. But it didn't. Instead, it welcomed the hand and climbed on to it.

The five were shocked. They looked closely to the boy who was able to capture the evasive mammal, and were surprised yet again when they finally recognized him.

 _Hibari?!_

"Nice catch, Hibari!" Takeshi said as he came out from their hiding place. The others soon followed.

"That was so cool, Hibari-san!" Kyoko cheered. "How were you able to think of a way to catch Mami?"

"I didn't."

"Eh, so how did you...?"

Hibari looked at the hedgehog now sleeping comfortably in his small hand. "...I know someone who had one before. He told me this is the best way to catch an escaped hedgehog."

A lot of "Oh" surrounded Hibari, and then laughter.

"Alright, now that we caught Mami," Ryohei then raised his left fist in the air. "Let's claim our reward!"

"Yeah!"

... .. .

"This is really delicious!" Hana exclaimed as she gave the pie another bite.

"Didn't I tell you?" Kyoko smiled to her best friend. "Tanaka-san makes the best sweets!"

"Thanks, Kyoko-chan!" Tanaka said as he came out from the kitchen, a whole cake in hand. "I have more in the kitchen, so don't hold back, ne?"

Everyone nodded their heads happily in reply. Well, except one.

Tsuna looked worriedly at the empty seat beside him, where Hibari was supposed to be. Earlier, the latter took some sweets and excused himself before going out in the back garden.

Kyoko noticed.

"Here, Tsuna-kun." Tsuna was startled when he saw Kyoko standing beside him, two plates of sliced cake in each of her hand. "Why don't you eat this together with Hibari-san? I'm sure he wants some company out there."

Tsuna bowed gratefully to Kyoko before running outside.

"Shouldn't we join them too?" Takeshi said as he began to stand up. "The more the merrier, right?"

"Wait!" Kyoko said as she raised her hands in front of her. "Umm... can we just let them be for now?"

"Why? Is there something wrong?" Ryohei asked.

"There isn't really, just..." Kyoko trailed as she thought of an excuse. "Ah! See, I heard from Tsuna-kun that Hibari-san doesn't really like crowding, that's why he went outside to eat! So I don't really think Hibari-san will be happy if we all join him there."

"Oh, so that's why!" Takeshi finally took his seat. "Ahahaha, I actually thought Hibari didn't like us or something!"

"Right..." Kyoko remembered that she hadn't told Tsuna what was the feeling he had back then, the one that he described as a pinch in his heart. The female brunette then looked out the window, at the two boys who were quietly talking underneath a tree.

Kyoko smiled. _Good luck, Tsuna-kun!_

... .. .

"Do—do you want some cake, Hibari-san?"

Hibari looked at the plate of sliced cake presented in front of him, and then at the worried-looking brunette holding it. Quietly, he took the plate and began to eat.

Tsuna took a seat beside him and started to eat too.

"You were... really amazing today, Hibari-san," Tsuna said after a while.

Hibari continued to eat his cake.

"I mean, you caught Mami without any problem and... and even though you don't like crowds, you really put up with everyone..." Tsuna smiled sadly, lowering his plate and letting it rest on his lap.

"Hibari-san," Tsuna began as he tightened his hold on the colorful fork, steeling himself. "The truth is, when you were paired up with Takeshi-kun earlier, I... I felt something weird here." He then raised his thumb and pointed it to his chest. "I-It was like someone was pinching my heart," Tsuna described as he gripped his shirt, somewhat realizing what emotion he felt all this time, "I-I'm still not sure what this feeling is called but, the truth is, r-right now I... I don't want t-to s-share H-Hibari-san t-to a-anyone..." Tsuna closed his eyes tightly after the confession, his face red as tomato in embarrassment.

"..." Hibari remained quiet as he slowly removed his gaze from the flushed Tsuna. He then took another piece of his cake and placed it in his mouth, chewing it slowly before finally swallowing it appreciatively.

"Herbivore," he called out. "...I didn't like it too."

"H-Huh?"

" 'Being shared', as you put it. I didn't like it either when I was paired with that other herbivore." Hibari paused, a small blush finding its way to his pale cheeks. "I wanted to be paired with you."

Tsuna's eyes widened as he looked at the blushing skylark.

"Also, I wouldn't have put up with the other herbivores if you weren't there," Hibari added.

The brunette couldn't help but smile. "Ne, Hibari-san?"

"Hn?"

"I'm really glad we're friends."

Hibari looked at Tsuna, a warm smile on the latter's lips.

His eyes soften at the sight.

"Yeah, me too."

... .. .

 **Author's note:** Oh. My. _Glob._ Did you know that this chapter was so freaking hard to edit? ALL because it's EMBARRASSING (me)? Though I think it turned out ok. But. Still. Damn.

Oh and I see some of you already figured this out—that the pang Tsuna was feeling all this time is jealousy.

I actually based this on my own experience—when I was still in elementary school, I always hang out with these three friends. It had always been us four. And then one day, after I came back from a fever, there was suddenly another girl laughing and hanging out with them. I was filled with jealous rage—those three were _my_ friends, so who the hell was that other girl taking my place? (Yeah, I know, I'm possessive. I also learned later that the seat plan was changed, and that the girl just happened to be assigned there).

So yeah... **no romance**. 1827 may be my OTP, but TUD is—and always will be—pure, fluffy friendship.

Ciao~


	28. Chapter 27: From now on

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

... .. .

 **Chapter 27: From now on**

Tsuna could not believe it. It was just a short, careless question. A thoughtless query, actually. He thought Hibari would just brush it off, give him a vague answer, or ignore the question entirely.

"Ne Hibari-san, would you like to visit my house?"

He could never have imagined the older boy's answer.

"Alright."

Tsuna thought of taking it back, since it only came out of the blue, but then had second thoughts since Hibari visiting his house didn't sound so bad.

... .. .

"I-I'm home!" Tsuna was nervous, even though he was at his own house. It was understandable though, since today was the day Hibari was going to visit.

And also because the said skylark was just behind him.

Nana popped her head out from the kitchen. "Oh, welcome ho—" she stopped, and her smile widened when she saw Hibari. "Oh my, Tsu-kun! Is he the friend you were talking about?"

Tsuna could only nod, a bit embarrassed, though he couldn't understand why.

'Tsu-kun?' Hibari repeated in a whisper.

Tsuna blushed even more.

"Good afternoon. My name is Hibari Kyoya. It's a pleasure to meet you," Hibari said and bowed.

"My, what a polite child!" Nana exclaimed as she clasped her hands in joy.

"Okaa-san also said to give this to you, Auntie," Hibari said as he extended his hand that held the white box of cream puffs.

Nana took it gratefully. "Please, call me Nana." Hibari gave a curt nod to this. "Also, tell your mom I said thank you," she happily said.

"Oh and lunch is almost ready!" The brunette mother then straightened up and started for the kitchen, before she paused and turned to the two boys. "Tsu-kun, you and Kyoya-kun have a seat first. We'll also have this later for dessert!" she announced as she held the white box up, finally disappearing to the kitchen after.

... .. .

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..." Tsuna sat rather uncomfortably on the wooden chair, shifting his weight every now and then as he constantly searched for that comfy spot—or to at least distract himself from the ever growing silence between him and the skylark seated next to him. The situation really made him confusedly nervous. Normally he would start some kind of conversation with Hibari—may it be one-sided at times—but never had he shut up for this long, except maybe when Hibari ordered him to—and in this particular situation the skylark hadn't even spoken yet, not since he gave the box of cream puffs to Nana.

So again, Tsuna was confused, and really, really queasy. _W-What am I even nervous about?!_ the brunette asked himself. _It's just Hibari-san!_ Though that may be the reason why he was so nervous—because it's _the_ Hibari Kyoya who was visiting his house, and maybe because it was Tsuna's first time of ever bringing someone, let alone a friend, to his home. He was then reminded of a certain episode of a TV drama Nana used to watch, the episode where the protagonist took his girlfriend home to meet his parents (he had asked then what a girlfriend was, and Nana giggled first before answering along the lines of "Someone you want to be your wife in the future."), nervous all the while as he did so, making Tsuna wonder if this was what the guy felt like then.

He quickly shook his head and vehemently pushed the thoughts away. _Hibari-san's my friend! Not my g-girlfriend!_

"Herbivore."

Tsuna jumped at the call, but before he could respond, Nana came to the table with a tray of food. "Lunch is ready!" the young mother exclaimed as she placed the dishes on the table. Tsuna sighed, relieved that the silence was now broken.

"So, Kyoya-kun, how is my Tsu-kun at school?" Nana asked as she seated across from the dark-haired boy. She then rested her chin on her propped hands, waiting for the answer.

Hibari paused for a moment, deciding how he would. "He's... loud sometimes, talks a little bit too much, gets excited and cries easily, most of the time annoying, and is really, _really_ pushy."

"Oh my," Nana said, a bit worried.

Tsuna on the other hand, paled. _I-I'm sorry, Hibari-san!_

But Hibari wasn't finished.

"But," Hibari said as a faint smile crept to his lips. "It's really comfortable whenever I'm with him."

Tsuna's eye widened slightly, surprised, while his pale cheeks reddened.

"My, my." Nana just smiled.

"H-Hibari-san's really nice too!" Tsuna suddenly exclaimed, not wanting to be the only one to be complimented. "H-He's also really good in taking care of others..." he added as he remembered how Hibari did his best to fix Isamu's broken wing, and how he bandaged his scraped knee.

Nana continued to smile warmly, while Hibari's eyes softened.

Though the latter's expression quickly turned dark as Tsuna rambled on. "...even though most of the time he's scary and intimidating, ignores you at times when you talk to him, and gets angry easily when you don't follow him..."

A vein finally popped on the skylark's forehead.

"But, just as Hibari-san said," Tsuna continued, making Hibari pause from the act of kicking him from his seat. "I always feel comfortable whenever I'm with him."

Nana squealed in delight at what her son admitted, while Hibari slowly lowered his foot and let another smile grace his lips.

... .. .

At some point after they ate their lunch and finished their dessert, Hibari found Tsuna's photo album as he searched the bookshelf in the living room for anything interesting to read. The baby blue book immediately caught his eye. Tsuna tried to stop him, but Hibari's slightly longer and definitely stronger left hand stopped the heavily blushing brunette from coming more than a foot near him, letting him smirk in peace as he gazed at the many younger Sawada Tsunayoshis, snorting at a particular one that was clothed in a very pink princess dress.

"Now we're even," Hibari said as he finally let Tsuna snatched the album from his lap. Tsuna pouted angrily at the raven-haired, before he remembered some of the embarrassing stories Yuuki had told him when he visited on the skylark's birthday.

Tsuna decided to forgive Hibari then.

... .. .

"Is your father working right now?"

After the fiasco with Tsuna's photo album, the two decided to draw.

"Yup," Tsuna answered as he drew another colorful line on the paper.

"Even though it's Sunday?"

Another line. "Yeah."

"What does he do?"

The last color. "Mama said he's a working at a con—construction site."

"Is that so..." Hibari trailed off as he continued his drawing.

"It's finished!" Tsuna suddenly exclaimed as he marveled his work. He excitedly showed it to Hibari.

The skylark squinted his eyes as he tried to decipher the drawing before him. "Is this... us?"

Tsuna's smile widened. "Yeah! This is you, me, and Isamu!" he said as he named each of the small, barely recognizable figures.

 _So those things at the back are trees..._ Hibari chuckled lightly.

"What's so funny?" Tsuna pouted.

"It's... nothing." Hibari looked up to Tsuna, a small smile on his face. "Your drawing's really unique, Sawada Tsunayoshi."

Tsuna blinked, blushed, and looked down on the floor. "T-Thanks..."

"Oh, what a cute drawing, Tsu-kun! Mind telling me who these are?" Nana asked as she seemingly came out of nowhere, kneeling down on the floor as she smiled.

Tsuna kneeled down too as he placed the paper on the low table. "This is me, Hibari-san, and Isamu. We're all at the back of the school building, at the garden, where the cherry blossom trees are."

"Hmm? Who's Isamu? Another friend of yours?"

"He's a bird we're feeding," Hibari explained. "Every day after class, and in the mornings during the weekend."

Something clicked in Nana's mind. "Oh, is that why you asked us to pick you up an hour late every day Tsu-kun? To feed Isamu?"

Tsuna nodded.

"Who would have thought!" Nana exclaimed as she proudly hugged her son. "You've really grown so much, Tsu-kun! Oh, and Kyoya-kun," Nana then turned to Hibari. "I heard you earlier call Tsu-kun by his full name. I don't know why you do, but why don't you try and call him by his given name? You're friends after all, ne?"

Hibari averted his eyes from Nana's motherly ones, a speck of red on his cheeks. "I'll try..."

 _How cute,_ Nana thought as she looked fondly at Hibari before patting his head. "You know, you're the first friend Tsu-kun took here. He's actually shy, so I was really glad when he said the other day that his friend was coming over." She then stopped patting Hibari's head, though her hand stayed. "That's why Kyoya-kun, if it's alright with you, could you stay as my son's friend forever?"

"I don't mind," Hibari answered immediately. "I don't dislike him."

Nana smiled.

"Well then, please take care of my Tsu-kun from now on."


	29. Chapter 28: Call me by my name

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

 **Author's note:** Sorry to those expecting a longer chapter ;)

... .. .

 **Chapter 28: Call me by my name**

June. It was raining, as it was the season for that weather. The soft pitter-patters of the rain on clear umbrellas were the only sound that could be heard between the two young boys walking home together. Quietly, the brunette of the pair looked up through the clear plastic, amazed at the falling droplets that looked like will hit him, but instead slid off the barely visible barrier.

"Ne, Hibari-san." A question began to form, as the events from yesterday surfaced.

"Hn?"

 _" _I heard you earlier call Tsu-kun by his full name. I don't know why you do, but why don't you try and call him by his given name?"__

Tsuna did not speak for a moment, opting to listen to the sound of the falling rain as they continued their walk.

 _" _You're friends after all, ne?"__

"Won't you call me by my name?"

Hibari stopped, making Tsuna halt too before the latter turned around to face him.

"Why?"

"Because we're friends, right?"

There was an odd courage that Hibari could see in Tsuna's large, caramel-brown eyes. He too, then, remembered yesterday, and wondered if that was the reason behind Tsuna's current request.

"Isn't it hard to always call me by my full name?"

He had a point.

"Fine," Hibari finally answered. He then smirked, thinking of something that would make things even. "Then you too."

Tsuna tilted his head to the side, asking silently what Hibari meant.

"Call me by my name."

As Hibari expected, Tsuna blushed and looked down on the wet ground. He nodded his head in agreement.

"A-Alright, Kyo—Kyoya-san."

Satisfied, Kyoya walked pass the blushing brunette before he paused, looked over his shoulder, and called out to him, a smirk on his pale lips.

"Hurry up, Tsunayoshi, or your mom will get worried."


	30. Chapter 29: He who protects Namimori

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

... .. .

 **Chapter 29: He who protects Namimori**

On a rare day when there was no rain and only cloudy skies, Nana and Tsuna went out to shop.

"Ne, Mama, why are buying so many foods?" the little five-year old asked as he stared at the cart-full of groceries.

Nana's smile widened. "Well that's because Tsu-kun, your father is finally coming home tonight!"

Tsuna's face brightened at the revelation. It had already been a week since he last saw Iemitsu, and he had a lot of things he wanted to tell his father, especially about a certain skylark.

And so, after they bought almost all the ingredients they needed for the night's special dinner, Tsuna waited outside a food specialty store Nana entered earlier. She wouldn't be long, she had said, and Tsuna slowly looked up at the sky as he continued to wait for his mother.

The once blue sky now looked dark—ominous—menacing, the threat to bring down rain seemed to become truer as the seconds tick by. Tsuna unconsciously tightened the grip on his small umbrella as he looked on; though the weather forecast for that day said there was a low chance of rain, Nana still made sure that the two of them brought their canopies.

"…" Tsuna deepened his furrowed brows at the sky. He finally levelled his gaze—to escape the sight of the forbidding clouds—and was caught in surprised at who he saw when he did.

It was Kyoya.

"Hiba—Kyoya-san!"

Tsuna immediately ran towards the older boy, who turned around at the call and was mildly astonished to see the brunette.

"Tsunayoshi."

"Are you out here shopping too?" Tsuna asked.

"Not really," Kyoya said. "I'm doing my rounds."

"Rounds?" Belatedly, Tsuna noticed the pair of wooden sticks in each of Kyoya's hands. He gave the skylark a questioning gaze.

"They're tonfas," Kyoya answered. He then lifted the weapons up so Tsuna could see it better. "During the afternoon, after we finished feeding Isamu, I walk around Namimori to ensure peace and order. And if there are people who won't follow the rules, I use these to make them," he finished with a smirk.

Tsuna forgot how scary Kyoya could be.

"J-Just don't beat them up too much, ne?" Tsuna asked.

Kyoya didn't answer.

"Kyoya-san!"

Kyoya still ignored Tsuna.

The brunette sighed. "Why do you make... umm... rounds anyway, Kyoya-san? Don't the police do that already?"

Kyoya still did not answer. Though Tsuna could somehow tell that it wasn't because he didn't want to—but it was because there was something else that was occupying the older boy's mind.

He then heard a whisper.

'It's not enough.'

"Eh?"

"The police... whatever they're doing, it's not enough."

Tsuna looked worriedly at Kyoya, whose downcast eyes where seeing something he could not. He then felt a drop of water on his nose, then on his scalp, on his shoulder, his hand.

The clouds finally released its tears.

Tsuna immediately opened his small umbrella, sheltering them both from the light rain.

"Rain, huh?" Kyoya said as he looked up through the clear canopy. Tsuna looked up too.

On that day, the usually indifferent clouds looked a bit gloomy.


	31. Chapter 30: Overhear

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

 **Author's note:** The start of a two-chapter arc. Enjoy~

... .. .

 **Chapter 30: Overhear**

Tsuna wasn't sure if it was the right thing to do, but that gut feeling in his stomach told him it was alright. So he hid behind the yellow wall some more, his curious left eye the only visual he permitted to see.

Before him were his teacher, Nakamura Aoki, and the teacher for Kyoya's class, Ikeda Tomoe.

They were just talking, really. Tsuna, if he wanted to, could just pass by unnoticed and finally go back to his classroom. But something in the air didn't seem quite right. Tsuna could feel something electric—something intimate. And all became clear when he saw a very noticeable blush creep to Aoki's cheeks as the bespectacled teacher gazed at the retreating form of Tomoe.

Being the innocent child that he was, Tsuna approached Aoki and asked, "Ne sensei, do you like Tomoe-sensei?"

Books and pens fell to the floor with very loud onomatopoeic words. Aoki turned slowly, pale as a ghost as he faced Tsuna's curious gaze.

"Umm..." But before he could reply, another voice shocked the faint-hearted teacher.

"Eh? Aoki-sensei likes Tomoe-sensei?" Takeshi asked Tsuna as he came out from the classroom, followed by Kyoko and Hana.

"I'm... not sure..." Tsuna answered as he looked up at Aoki, who still had to give a reply. The four children all stared at their teacher then, curious as to what their timid sensei thought of the very cheerful Tomoe.

"Umm..." Aoki wiped the sweat that accumulated on his forehead. "You see..." he trailed off, debating if he should really tell the children or not. He decided not to. "Y-You know, I think you're all mistaken. I'm not in love with Tomoe-san, or with anyone for that matter."

The large, honest eyes of the children said they did not believe him.

Aoki sighed before he adjusted his glasses. He was honestly in love with Tomoe for over a year now—actually, since the first time he talked to her—but never had the courage to confess.

Because he would never have the courage to face her again if his confession didn't go well. _Besides_ , he also reasoned, _it will only ruin our friendship._

And so the teacher denied his love again, but the children still wouldn't believe him. They even suggested that he confess to Tomoe right then, but of course Aoki refused.

 _Riiiiiiing!_

The four students sharply looked up at the school bell, surprised, while the unperturbed Aoki picked up the fallen books and pens, glad that the bell finally rang—

—although, as he watched his students enter the classroom, Aoki had a terrible feeling that this would be a _very_ long day.

... .. .

"Really, those children..." Aoki sighed as he walked wearily through the empty hallway. He was right about the day being a tiresome one. Even though he already told them that he wasn't in love with Tomoe (in spite of the fact that he actually was), for the duration of their stay at school, his four students did everything and anything they could to get them together. Ryohei from Tomoe's class even decided to help.

Another long sigh escaped Aoki's lips as he dragged his feet, truly glad that it was Saturday tomorrow.

"This is really sudden, Tomoe-sensei."

Aoki immediately froze at the mere mention of his love interest's name. He turned his gaze forward, and saw the door to the faculty room was slightly open.

"The children will miss you."

His eyes widened. That was definitely the voice of the head teacher—Inoue-sensei. A dismayed sigh could then be heard.

"It's a good thing I know someone who can immediately replace you."

"Yes, and I am grateful." A pause. "I'm really sorry for this selfish request, Inoue-san. If I could, I would change the situation, but..."

"Yes, yes, I understand." Another sigh. "Just so you know, you can return here whenever you like, alright?"

There was a sad chuckle that could only belong to Tomoe.

"Hai, and thank you again for everything, Inoue-san."

And then Aoki could hear no more.

He turned around, and ran.

... .. .

"Are you sure?" Kyoya asked as he petted Isamu.

Tsuna nodded. "Yeah, I didn't notice before, but earlier it was obvious that Aoki-sensei likes Tomoe-sensei. And even though Aoki-sensei denied it, we know he really likes her."

"Hn..." Kyoya continued to absentmindedly pet the bird as he remembered something—a curious event, which happened earlier that morning in their classroom.

"Tsunayoshi, I think Tomoe-sen—" But before he could finish whatever it was he was going to say, Kyoya was interrupted by a loud sob.

The two turned around at the same time, and was surprised to see a grown man crouched down on the ground, obviously crying.

"Aoki-sensei!"

Aoki looked up, and was shocked to see his student, Tsuna, and another boy he recognized as Hibari Kyoya.

"Tsunayoshi-kun, why—" he suddenly cut off, to stifle a sob.

"What's wrong, sensei?"

The bespectacled teacher smiled sadly. He sniffed and then lowered his head, ruffling his dark green hair frustratingly before finally answering.

"Tomoe-san's going to leave."

"Eh?"

"She quitted."

"What—" Tsuna began but wasn't able to continue, for Kyoya interpose with his own question. "What are you going to do then, sensei?"

Head still lowered to the ground, Aoki answered. "Nothing."

"Don't you love her?"

"I do," Aoki confessed with a smile.

"Then why don't you stop her?"

It was long while before Aoki replied.

"It's not that easy."

The teacher then removed his glasses, to wipe off the tears from his eyes. "Sorry you have to see your sensei like this," he said as he gave them a fake smile. He placed the glasses immediately back after, telling himself that he had cried enough. Weakly, he stood up, and began to walk back to the school building when Kyoya's words stopped him.

"Tomoe-sensei is in love with you too."

Aoki whipped his head back, unsure if he heard correctly.

"...what did you just say?"

"I said Tomoe-sensei is in love with you too." When Kyoya saw the disbelief in Aoki's eyes, he elaborated. "I saw it earlier this morning, in our classroom. When Tomoe-sensei entered, her cheeks were really red. I thought she had a fever, but from what I heard from Tsunayoshi, I'm now certain it's because she is in love."

"With _me_?"

"Sensei, you're about the only person she ever walks with to the classroom in the morning."

A blush found its way to Aoki's cheeks as he hid his face with his right hand. He wondered if he should really believe the seven-year old or not.

"Sensei." He felt a tug and saw caramel-brown eyes staring worriedly up at him. "Sensei, if you don't want to stop Tomoe-sensei, at the very least, tell her your feelings."

"But—"

"It will definitely work out!" Tsuna exclaimed confidently.

Aoki had to smile. A part of him was still unsure, but if this really was the last time that he would see Tomoe, then—

"All right. I'll go."


	32. Chapter 31: Their respective feelings

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

 **Author's note:** The second and last half of the two-chapter arc. Enjoy~

... .. .

 **Chapter 31: Their respective feelings**

"So why are you two coming with me?"

Tsuna and Kyoya looked at each other before the younger of the two answered. "That's because sensei's still unsure, so if we don't come along and watch you, you might back out!"

Aoki eyed the two again. _The still shy Tsunayoshi-kun and if rumors are true, the reserved and scary Hibari Kyoya—together?_ Now that he had calmed down, Aoki could see how much an unlikely pair the two was. His student, Tsuna, could still easily be frightened after all, even though he had been brave the last few weeks. On the other hand, according to the rumors, more than half of the kindergarteners were scared of the boy named Hibari Kyoya.

 _So how come they're together?_ Aoki asked himself before he shook his head. It was such a conundrum, that he would leave it be for now. He had other things to figure out after all. _Like if it's really a good idea to confess my feelings or not_ —even when Kyoya already told him that Tomoe (might) like him too.

With his mind still mulling over that last thought, Aoki guided the two down the stairs and bought train passes. They were to ride the subway train to get to their destination, which was three cities over. Of course, Aoki had called the children's parents earlier, guiltily lying to the mothers by telling them that they had some kind of special excursion they needed to go to.

And thus, after what seemed like a long train ride and even longer walk, the three finally arrived to their destination.

Aoki studied the hand drawn map the head teacher had given to him before looking up to gape at the large mansion. He then stared at the white piece of paper again, checking to see if he made a mistake. But he didn't. The map was very easy to follow, and the name plate on the gate clearly read IKEDA, Tomoe's surname.

"Ne, Aoki-sensei, is this really where Tomoe-sensei is?" Tsuna asked as he too craned his neck up to see how high the building was.

The bespectacled teacher wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Y-Yeah..."

 _Ding-dong._

Aoki snapped his head to the right just in time to see Kyoya removed his finger from the doorbell.

'H-Hibari-kun!'

"Why are you whispering, sensei?"

But before Aoki could reply, a voice from the intercom spoke.

"Yes? Who is it?"

It wasn't Tomoe's.

Aoki unconsciously leaned in. "Y-Yes, this is Nakamura Aoki, a fellow teacher from Namimori Yochien. Is Ikeda Tomoe-san there right now? I would like to speak to her about school matters, if possible."

"I understand. Please wait for a moment then, Nakamura-san, while I confirm with the Mistress," the voice replied.

 _M-Mistress? Are they talking about Tomoe-san?!_ Aoki asked himself as he recounted the conversations he had with Tomoe. She rarely talked about her family, and he thought this must be the reason why.

A minute later the person behind the intercom came back. "Sorry for the wait, Nakamura-san. I have confirmed with the Mistress, and you are now allowed to enter."

As soon as the voice finished speaking, the large Victorian gates opened. A butler waiting behind the black gates smiled at them then, before he ushered the three inside the large white mansion.

... .. .

Aoki clutched his knees as he sat nervously on the expensive sofa. Cold sweat trickled down from everywhere as he asked himself what he was getting into. He then looked beside him, at the two children he was with. Surprisingly, they weren't nervous at all. They just sat there, silent, but now that the kindergarten teacher looked closer, the two seemed bored.

"Sorry for the wait."

From the large oak doors came out an old woman dressed in a kimono, its color a soft pink, while a blossoming sakura tree was etched elegantly on the clothing. But what caught Aoki's attention wasn't the beautiful traditional wear, but the fact that the woman was in a wheel chair, a maid beside her and the butler who showed them in earlier just behind pushing her.

"Here is fine, Murakami," the old woman said as the butler situated her in front of their guests. She smiled at the two children, before acknowledging Aoki. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Nakamura-san."

Nakamura bowed a little too deeply before returning the greeting. "It's a pleasure to meet you too, Ikeda-san."

The old lady laughed. "Please, call me Mariko, since my granddaughter is also Ikeda."

"Umm, about that, Mariko-san," Aoki looked at Tsuna and Kyoya beside him, before returning his attention to Mariko. "We actually came here to talk to Tomoe-san."

"Yes, Nakashima here informed me earlier," Mariko said as she motioned to the maid. Aoki guessed she was the person behind the intercom. "If you don't mind me asking, Nakamura-san, but what do you want to talk to her about? I'm afraid Tomoe isn't here at the moment. She went out an hour ago to do some shopping."

"Well..." Aoki wouldn't dare tell her that he came just to profess his love to her granddaughter. So he resorted to plan B. "We came here to ask Tomoe-san if she could relinquish her resignation from the kindergarten."

The grandmother was shocked. "Tomoe resigned?"

"Obaa-chan!" From the closed oak doors barged in Tomoe, her cheeks red both in anger and from running. "Stop interrogating my friends!"

"Why not? I'm just curious," Mariko answered.

"Still!"

"Also, what is this about you quitting the kindergarten? I never agreed about you resigning."

"What do you mean? I didn't resign."

"Eh?"

"Huh?"

"What?"

All heads turned to Aoki for an explanation. "B-But I heard Inoue-san say to you earlier that the children will miss you!"

"Yes they will."

"That you have a situation that you can't change!"

"I do."

"And that it's a good thing he has someone who can immediately replace you!"

"I'm grateful for that, too."

"So after hearing all that, how come you're telling me that you're not quitting?"

"Aoki-san, you do know that I'm currently on paid vacation, right?"

Silence.

"Umm... come again?"

Tomoe sat down beside Aoki, tired from standing and to better explain the situation.

"I'm on paid vacation," Tomoe repeated. "The day before yesterday, my grandmother collapsed. I got really worried, since her health had been declining since last year, so I asked Inoue-san if I could go to one. He agreed, thankfully, but I don't really know when I'll come back."

"So that's why he also said that you can come back anytime..." Aoki realized. "But why didn't you tell me?"

Tomoe stared at her now intertwined fingers. "I wanted to tell you everything after I confirmed my vacation, but I couldn't find you or reach your cell when I did. I had to go back here immediately after the confirmation too, so I decided then to phone your home later tonight."

"Oh..." was what Aoki could only say.

Tomoe chuckled. "And though there's a bit of a misunderstanding on your part, I'm glad you came for a visit, Aoki-san. You two too, Tsuna-kun and Kyoya-kun, I'm glad you all came," Tomoe said as she smiled gratefully, making Aoki blush. The grandmother noticed.

"But, Nakamura-san," everyone in the room now turned their attention to the old woman, "renouncing my granddaughter's resignation—that's not the actual reason you're here, right?" The frightfully sharp Mariko asked as she observed Aoki, who noticeably stiffened at the question.

"Obaa-chan! You—"

"Actually," Aoki interjected, his gaze on the floor as he worked his courage. "I—" he then bit his lip, too nervous to continue.

'You can do it, sensei!' Tsuna quietly cheered. Beside him, Kyoya nodded in encouragement.

Aoki silently thanked them. He then looked at Mariko, before shifting his attention to Tomoe. "Actually, Mariko-san, I came here to confess my love to your granddaughter," he said before returning his gaze to the old woman. "I'm in love with Tomoe-san. So I would like to ask your permission to marry her."

Mariko's eyes quickly widened in surprise.

Tomoe only stared at him in shock and embarrassment.

Aoki finally processed what he just said, and blush a deep, crimson red.

"No—wait, actually what I meant was—"

"Alright, you have my permission," Mariko interrupted in a serious tone. "You can marry my granddaughter, but only if she agrees."

Now it was Tomoe's turn to be the center of attention. The blush she had deepened, before she hid her face behind her hands and slowly nodded in agreement. "I love you too, Aoki-san," she confessed behind her pale hands. "I always had, since a year ago."

... .. .

"Oh my _God_ ," Aoki said for the umpteenth time. The three of them were finally on their way home, an hour after the engagement, and the betrothal had to yet fully sink in to the still disbelieving teacher, making him utter the phrase every now and then in the nearly empty train.

Kyoya just stared indifferently at the bespectacled teacher, before he adjusted the sleeping Tsuna so that the brunette could rest on his shoulder much more comfortably. He was glad that Tsuna was fast asleep, because then he wouldn't question the exchange he had earlier with Tomoe's grandmother before they left.

" _Kyoya-kun."_

 _Both Kyoya and Tsuna turned, the two teachers already at the gate arguing playfully._

" _Tell your grandfather I said hello, and that he should visit his old friend Mariko sometimes."_

 _The air around Kyoya immediately changed, which Tsuna did not fail to notice._

" _Yes, I will make sure to tell him," the skylark said as he bowed._

 _Mariko smiled, before finally waving goodbye._

Kyoya closed his blue-gray eyes as he let the memory fade. He then turned to the window before opening them—letting them watch in absentminded wonder, in distracted fascination, at the passing orange lights.


	33. Chapter 32: Hanabi

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

 **Author's rambling:** _OMG_ —seriously people, over 200 reviews already?! Really?! I know I'm kind of overreacting again, but still, you know—THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

:D

And so, without further ado, here's your update for today!

... .. .

 **Chapter 32: Hanabi**

The rainy days had pass, and now it's finally summer.

And when summer came so did summer vacation.

And when summer vacation came so did the summer festival.

And it was the best one Tsuna had ever gone to.

They were all wearing yukatas—Tsuna, Takeshi, Kyoko, Hana, Ryohei and even Kyoya (who reluctantly agreed to come). It wasn't their first time in a summer festival, but it was definitely their first time together. Chaperoned by Nana and Iemitsu, the children first watched the amazing taiko drumming performance, before dragging the Sawada couple to every game and food stalls that struck their liking.

And at one particular stall, Tsuna was particularly frustrated. He couldn't count how many times he had failed already, leaving him with an empty bowl of water and a large amount of goldfish to stare at.

By his side, Kyoya stared at the silently fuming Tsuna with the corner of his eye. He chuckled, though not loud enough that the brunette could hear, before he effortlessly scoop up two goldfish, one black and one orange.

He gave the black one to Tsuna.

"Eh?" Tsuna asked in confusion as he stared at the bag of black goldfish in front of him.

"For you," Kyoya said before he placed it in Tsuna's hands. Tsuna then laughed, prompting Kyoya to ask why.

"We're... a—a... match!" was what Tsuna was only able to say in between the now suppressed laughs.

Kyoya finally noticed then, that with the orange and black goldfish they had, he and Tsuna were truly a match with the black yukata he was wearing and the orange one Tsuna had on. He had to smile.

They then played some more games with the others, before they all went up to the shrine and settled at the viewing area beside it, to wait for the main event.

They didn't have to wait for that long though, before colorful fireworks began to fill the dark sky.

Everyone gazed in wonder and amazement at the beautifully orchestrated show . Even Kyoya's face lit up as he watched the flowers in the sky, Tsuna quietly observed. The brunette then turned his attention back to the brightly colored sky, his caramel-brown eyes sparkling as the memories from the past few months appeared in his mind.

He remembered his first day at the kindergarten, how scared he was at the unfamiliar people, shy at the cheerfulness of his first friend. He remembered how Kyoko made him play with the other children, and learned how to get past his timidness with them. He remembered how he first met Kyoya at the school's roof top, how he got scared and thought he was a ghost. He remembered his first meeting with Hana that break time, the gossips and the truth behind them. He remembered bumping into Ryohei, how he fell with a thud, and the treasure hunt that soon followed after.

Tsuna remembered the orange sky, Kyoya's birthday, that shocking shopping trip, naming Isamu, his fight with the skylark, the start of their friendship, the second extreme adventure, the visit to his house, that rainy day on his way home, and finally, that trip with Aoki-sensei.

Tsuna remembered a lot of things—recalled the memories that he had gained since the first day he came to the Yochien, ones that he would surely protect and treasure. He refocused his eyes on the fireworks, then raised his hand to the colourful sky—much like he did on that afternoon day—and made a wish; another quiet wish that, from this day onwards, he, Takeshi, Kyoko, Kyoya, Hana, and Ryohei would stay, and be friends forever.

... .. .

 **Omake: The origin of that phrase**

It was a little bit after they saw the fireworks, when the group decided to eat some chocolate rabbits.

Kyoya was quite fond of it, because it somehow reminded him of Tsuna, who then somehow reminded him of a helpless rabbit, to which he would never, ever admit.

It wasn't a surprise then, when Tsuna accidentally bumped Kyoya and knocked the chocolate rabbit off from the skylark's hand, that the raven-haired finally spouted the catchphrase that would be feared by all.

"I'll bite you to death!"

Even through the mouth of a seven-year old, it was still scary.

"HIEEEE!"


	34. Chapter 33: At the school trip

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

... .. .

 **Chapter 33: At the school trip**

September was finally here, and the Namimori Youchien had settled on what to do for their school trip. Since it was autumn and harvest time in Japan, the kindergarten decided to do some little grape picking.

"Whoa, those are some extreme looking fruits!"

And in order to save money and time, the school decided to do the first and second year kindergarteners' school trip together.

Gathered at the entrance inside the farm were the combined classes of the Yochien, plus the respective advisers of each class. The students chattered excitedly about their approaching activity, while the teachers discussed the best plan to pick the fruits. On the other hand, Tsuna, Takeshi, Kyoko, Hana, and Ryohei stared wide-eyed at the clusters of purple, circular fruits high above them—amazed as it was the first time they ever saw such things.

"What are they called anyway?"

"I think they're called grapes."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Woah."

"Extreme."

The children continued to stare, mouth agape and the pain from their bend necks ignored, until a teacher, Aoki, clapped his hands loudly to call the attention of all the students.

"All right, everyone! I know you're all excited to pick some grapes, but first let us give you some instructions on how to." Aoki then looked beside him at his fellow teacher and fiancée, Tomoe, signaling her that it's her turn to speak.

"Since the grapes are too high up to pick, everyone should group themselves and find a worker that will help you get the grapes. Each group will have a basket, and once you filled it, you may go to the farm's shop over there to take some home, alright?" Tomoe finished. The students replied in understanding, before they dispersed in small teams.

"Where are you going, Tsuna?" Takeshi called out as the brunette ran out from their group.

"I'm going to look for Kyoya-san!" Tsuna replied without stopping. He maneuvered his way then through the crowd, looking for a place where there were none. Finally, when he was a little far away off from the horde, he saw Kyoya standing below a low vine of grapes.

"Kyoya-san!"

Kyoya did not turn. He waited for Tsuna to stand by his side before he acknowledged the brunette.

"Tsunayoshi."

"Sensei said that we should group ourselves and find a worker to help us pick the grapes," Tsuna said after he regained his breath.

"I know."

"Takeshi-kun and the others are waiting over there."

"I know."

"..."

"..."

"You really hate crowds, huh?"

Kyoya didn't answer. Instead, he returned to gazing at the low hanging grapes. Tsuna stared at the fruits too.

"Ne, do you know what they taste like?"

A memory popped in the skylark's mind. "Sweet." He willed it to go away. "But sometimes bitter."

"So would you like to pick some grapes?" Behind them, a man with striking green eyes and auburn hair suddenly appeared smiling at them.

Tsuna and Kyoya just stared at him.

"Ah, don't worry, I'm not someone suspicious! Look, I'm a worker here, see?" The man said as he showed the farm's logo on the front of his long sleeve shirt. Tsuna's face brightened, but Kyoya's remained indifferent.

The man gave them a smile again. He then got up from his kneeling position and took the white ladder standing beside him. "Alright, let's pick some grapes! Now who would like to go first?"

"Me!" Tsuna immediately raised his hand. Hearing Kyoya's answer earlier, he now really wanted to have a taste of those mysterious purple fruits.

The worker chuckled. He first showed the two how to pick the grapes using the ones Tsuna and Kyoya were staring at earlier. He then assisted Tsuna up the ladder to get some of the higher ones while Kyoya looked on with mild interest.

"Careful!" The man said as Tsuna pluck his first bunch. Tsuna tried his best to mimic how the worker did earlier, and when the cluster of grapes finally came off the vine, he immediately turned to Kyoya and flashed him a big smile.

"Look, Kyoya-san, I did it!"

"Hn," Kyoya answered nonchalantly.

"Did—did you just say 'Kyoya' "?

The two children both turned to the worker, whose wide green eyes were now fixed to the skylark.

The worker gulped.

"You... you wouldn't happen to be Akihiro's son, right?"


	35. Chapter 34: Bitter & sweet

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

... .. .

 **Chapter 34: Bitter & sweet**

"Here," Masao, as the worker had introduced himself, said as he gave Tsuna and Kyoya's cup of green tea. The two took it quietly, blowing the hot steam off before sipping the drink.

Masao smiled, before he sat down and drank his own cup. They were now seated on the _engawa_ of the tea house located within the farm, the far-off vines of purple grapes in full view with groups of children and one adult dotted here and there. And for a while, they lay there, in silence, as the two children don't even know what to say, while the only adult debated what he should.

"I'm sorry I dragged you two here," Masao finally began. "I don't even know why I did." Another smile crept to his lips then, this time apologetic, though the children only saw half of it—Masao's face was directed ahead all the time he spoke. "I... I really thought you were just some kid who looked a lot like senpai." The older brunette momentarily paused, to lower his head, to stare at his intertwined fingers. "Who would have thought that you were actually his son?"

A soft, gentle breeze passed by them. Tsuna picked a large grape from a bowl between him and Kyoya, stealing a worried glance at the skylark as he did so. Ever since Masao mentioned the name "Akihiro", which Tsuna presumed was Kyoya's father, the air around the older boy changed. It felt constricting, but sad at the same time.

There was also another thing bothering the younger brunette—the name "Akihiro", or going by Kyoya's full name, "Hibari Akihiro". Somehow, somewhere, Tsuna had heard the name before, but couldn't remember where. He wanted to try though—to search his young mind for the memory that mentioned that name—but the increasingly uncomfortable feeling Tsuna could sense from the skylark made him decide to let the memory-searching be for now. There were more urgent things that needed his attention.

"I was actually your father's kouhai at work," Masao continued. "You may not know me, but your father mentioned you a lot when we're not on duty. Actually, now that I think about it, he never failed to mention you and Yuuki-san every day." Masao then laughed as he remembered.

Kyoya only listened quietly.

"I really admired him," Masao said as he placed a hand on Kyoya's head. "You should too. He really was a great man." He began to absentmindedly caress the boy's head, the memories he had been reliving finally coming to an end on that incident. "...and about what happened to senpai, to your father, I think he was just at the wrong place at the wrong time. What the people saw and understood back then though... it really was cruel."

There was a look of regret in Masao's green eyes before it quickly disappeared. He then suddenly stood up and stretched his hands. "Ah, sorry, sorry. Why am I talking about such depressing things on a day when you should be having fun?" He said before he looked up at the blue sky, his green eyes reflecting the slow moving clouds. "I guess it's almost here, huh? That day..."

Without elaborating any further, Masao stepped down to the ground. He then looked back to the two, and gave them a bright smile. "Why don't we pick some more grapes?" He asked, but didn't wait for an answer. Instead, he turned around and began to walk towards the grape vines, taking a ladder and a basket with him. The two had no choice but to follow.

Tsuna stole another glance at Kyoya as they walked side by side behind Masao. The skylark's stoic face betrayed nothing, but his clenched hand said everything.

It was shaking.

"Kyoya-san—"

" _Don't._ "

Tsuna's eyes immediately widened. Something—something was different, he could tell. Normally he would pry more, but something in Kyoya's tone just made him stop.

He halted in his tracks.

He could feel something was changing.

'Kyoya-san...' When he tried to clench his own hand, Tsuna remembered the purple grape he took but never ate.

He raised it to his mouth and took a bite.

It was bittersweet.


	36. Chapter 35: Distance

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

 **Author's rambling:** Hmm... I see some of you have some theory now on what happened to Hibari's dad... but I won't comment on it, 'cause I'll be tempted to spoil ;)

Here's your update for today!

... .. .

 **Chapter 35** : **Distance**

"Umm... Tsuna-kun, are you and Hibari-san fighting again?" Tsuna snapped from his trance and looked up at Kyoko, whose brows where creased in obvious worry. He opened his mouth then to answer, but closed it soon after as he didn't know what to reply—because honestly, he didn't know if he and Kyoya were in a fight or not.

For ever since they came back from the school trip a week ago, Kyoya had been distant. They did not talk—not even once—for that whole week. Kyoya hadn't even been visiting Isamu, or even if he did, Tsuna always missed him. At one time, when their class was dismissed too early, Tsuna saw Kyoya feeding the little brown bird. When he called out to the skylark though, the raven-haired quickly ran off and disappeared.

Tsuna was baffled. What happened, actually? What did he do to make Kyoya avoid him like that? Did it have something to do with that talk with Masao? With Kyoya's father?

"Tsuna-kun!" Kyoko shouted, her cheeks red for the effort. Tsuna blinked in surprise, realizing that he lost himself again in a daze, and mumbled an apology. Kyoko sighed. "If it's too hard to talk about, then I can listen next time. But I'm not the only one who's worried. Onii-chan, Yamamoto-kun, and Hana are also concerned about you."

"I'm sorry," Tsuna apologized again. "It's just that, I don't even know what the fight is about." His eyebrows then furrowed as he gazed on the tiled floor of their classroom. "Actually, I don't even think we're fighting..." Tsuna trailed off. Because not only did it not felt like their last fight—this time, though Tsuna didn't want to admit it, instead of avoiding him because he was annoying, it now felt like Kyoya was slowly—and quite deliberately—pulling away from him.

"Why don't you talk to him about it?" Kyoko suggested.

"I want to." Tsuna frowned. "But I can't seem to meet him. We always feed Isamu at the back garden together after class but, this past week he never went there—wait, I think he does but, I always seem to miss him."

"Did you try to ask for him in his class?"

Tsuna nodded. "Several times, but whe—" he paused, to fight the sudden urge to cry, "whenever I did, Kyoya-san was always not there." He then bit his trembling lip. He was truly at a lost on what to do.

Kyoko too, was at a lost on what she could say to comfort her friend. She couldn't find any words to say, so she was only able to place a hand on Tsuna's shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze—to ease, even for just a little, the pain in his heart.

... .. .

For the fourth time that week, Tsuna went home alone. Ever since Kyoya visited his house three months ago, they always went home together after they fed Isamu. Though they rarely talk, the silence between them wasn't awkward or strained—in fact, it was comfortable. Tsuna knew Kyoya liked it like that, so he only talked when he really wanted to tell the skylark something, or when there was something he was curious about.

But now, as he walked the path to his home, the silence was deafening. Tsuna's frown deepened as tears formed in the corner of his eyes. He really missed his friend—really wanted to make up with him, but the latter was clearly avoiding him for some unfathomable reason.

Tsuna wiped the steadily falling tears. What should he do so that Kyoya wouldn't avoid him anymore?

To make up with him?

To see him once more?

What _could_ he do?

"Kyoya-san..." Tsuna cried. He really couldn't think of a way that could fix the steadily growing distance between them, the crumbling friendship. He sniffled. _I-I guess the only thing I can do is go home, again..._ he thought depressingly.

 _Home..._

An idea suddenly popped in his mind. _Home!_ He blinked. _Kyoya-san's home!_ _But..._ He wondered why he never thought of it before, but at the same time realized the reason why—he only went to Kyoya's house once. He honestly didn't remember the way much, but right now, it was Tsuna's only chance of ever meeting the skylark again.

He gripped the strap of his backpack.

He at least had to try.

... .. .

 _Umm... which way is it again?_ Tsuna asked himself as he surveyed his surroundings. He was at the bridge above the river. He remembered they walked across it, but couldn't recall which way they turned to next. _Is it the right or the left?_

"Aha! I knew it was you! Kyoya's little friend!"

Tsuna turned around at the mention of Kyoya's name, and came face to face with some familiar looking grade schoolers. He tilted his head to the side, trying to remember.

"Oya oya, don't tell me you can't remember us?" the tallest of the group, and the one who spoke earlier, said as he towered over Tsuna. The small brunette shrunk back, nervous.

The boy smirked. "So where's the little birdie?" he asked as he looked around.

Tsuna didn't answer.

"Oh~ho, I can't believe he left his little friend behind! Though that's not a surprise since it's Kyoya we're talking about," he said as he turned to his friends. They all laughed then at his mockery.

"What—what do you even know about him?!" Tsuna shouted. He was furious. Yes, he was scared, but he was angrier that the kids in front of him were mocking his precious friend.

The older kids stopped laughing and looked down at Tsuna. "What do _you_ know about him, huh?" the tallest kid asked.

"I know enough to see that Kyoya-san is not as bad as you think he is!" Tsuna snapped back.

"Oh, is that so? I guess you didn't know huh?"

Tsuna looked at him tentatively. "K-Know what?"

The three older children just stared at him in cold silence then. The laughter and mirth completely gone in their eyes, replaced by an emotion Tsuna didn't recognize.

"You know, you should stop being friends with him," the tallest said.

Tsuna blinked. "What—what do you mean?"

"Kyoya's father..." the boy replied in a serious tone. "He's a murderer."


	37. Chapter 36: Will you please tell me?

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

... .. .

 **Chapter 36: Will you please tell me?**

Tsuna ran as fast as his little feet could carry him. That day, Aoki dismissed their class early, and so had the opportunity to finally catch Kyoya and have a proper talk with him. The five-year old would do everything to ensure that Kyoya would not escape him—and if meant that he had to tackle the raven-haired on the ground again, then so be it.

 _"Kyoya's father… he—"_

The brunette shook his head. He did not dare believe it, about what the group of grade schoolers he and Kyoya met at the shopping district months ago—as he finally remembered—had said until he heard it from Kyoya's own mouth. He did not dare to trust their words, and wanted everything he had heard to be just a horrible lie.

And so he now ran faster, carefully turning around the corner as he also readied himself to pounce an unsuspecting skylark—but was only then greeted by the surprised questioning tweets of Isamu.

"Chirp, chirp, chirp?"

Tsuna sat down, tired. _I missed him again..._ he thought dejectedly. Once more, he was at a loss, when a familiar moving black mass suddenly caught his eye. He immediately stood up, moved his line of sight to the left—and sure enough he saw, behind the thin rails of the black school gates, the unmistakable mop of raven-colored hair that could only belong to Kyoya.

He quickly chased after the skylark.

"Kyoya-san!" Tsuna shouted, but he was too far for the older boy to hear. He then dashed, but by the time he turned the corner, Kyoya was gone.

He panicked. He turned to his left, and then to his right, wondering where the skylark went to.

 _"Kyoya's father..."_

He noticed—at that moment only, that he was actually at the shopping district, a bit surprised that there were more people than usual.

 _"He was a murderer."_

Tsuna stopped, abruptly halted his tracks, and looked down at the ground.

He had learned what the word "murderer" meant a year ago, when he was four. It was when his father was on the phone, angrily whispering at the person on the other end of the line, when the word slipped.

 _"Murderer?!" Iemitsu incredulously spat before he quickly surveyed his surroundings, wondering if anyone heard. He was then shocked to see his son looking curiously up at him._

 _"Ne Papa, what's a murderer?"_

 _Iemitsu visibly paled. "That's umm... well, I'll tell you when you're older alright?"_

 _But Tsuna did not budge. He only stared quietly at Iemitsu. The blonde knew his son would pester him for days like that until he explained what the word signified—and for some reason, Tsuna could tell if he lied too._

 _He sighed._

And at that moment, Iemitsu told him, slowly and cautiously, what the word meant.

Tsuna closed his eyes. He made the memory quietly disappear, before he unveiled his vision and continued his search for Kyoya.

He once again ran, and his brows began to furrow deeper and deeper as he became more and more frantic. _Where are you, Kyoya-san?_ he asked himself as despair clawed his body. The crowds of people did nothing to help his search too, but when the group suddenly thinned, Tsuna saw, at long last—with back steadfast, walk brisk, tonfas at hand—Kyoya.

He immediately bolted towards him.

"Kyoya-san!" Tsuna shouted. He knew Kyoya heard him—but the older made no move to stop. Instead, the raven-haired increased his pace. Tsuna tried to call out to him again, but the crowds of people suddenly blocked his view of the skylark. He eventually made his way through, but Kyoya was again too far away from him to hear.

 _Doesn't he hate crowds?_ Tsuna wondered as he maneuvered his way through the herd of people. Kyoya was thankfully still well within sight, and when the raven-haired was only a few feet away from him, Tsuna, without hesitation, shouted at the top of his lungs.

"KYOYA-SAN!"

Finally, the skylark turned, along with a few other surprised people.

Tsuna panted in exhaustion as he gazed at Kyoya, glad that he was finally able to make the older boy notice him. "Please, Kyoya-san... I just—" he paused to catch his breath, "I just want to talk," he finished, before placing his hands on his knees.

He was more tired than he thought.

"…" Seeing the growing number of people stopping to stare at them, Kyoya set aside his tonfas and quickly dragged the exhausted Tsuna to a much less crowded place. They eventually arrived at Namimori Park, which was surprisingly empty.

Kyoya let go of Tsuna's arm. "So," he began as he turned around to face the brunette. "What do you want to talk about?"

Tsuna didn't answer immediately. He instead stared first at the ground.

He did not want to see those piercing blue-gray eyes.

"I'm waiting," Kyoya said impatiently.

Tsuna finally took a deep breath, eyes still downcast. "Will you please tell me, Kyoya-san?"

"Tell you what?"

"The truth."

Kyoya narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean?"

Tsuna tried to explain. "Yesterday, I met the older kids we ran into at the shopping district months ago. They said some mean things, and then they said—they said—"

"Get on with it, _herbivore_."

Tsuna flinched at word Kyoya used to call him—and only then did he finally found the courage to look at the raven-haired boy, the will to stare straight into the blue-gray eyes.

"They said Kyoya-san's papa was a murderer."

Kyoya noticeably froze. The color drained from his face as he stared unbelievably at Tsuna.

"T-They were lying, right?" Tsuna asked desperately as he grabbed Kyoya's left arm. "Right, Kyoya-san?"

The skylark couldn't find in himself to speak.

"Of course it's the truth."

Both children quickly turned to the direction of the voice. What greeted them were three wryly amused grins.

It was the grade schoolers Tsuna met yesterday.

"Long time no see, Kyoya," the tallest of them, the leader, greeted.

The skylark's mood remarkably darkened, and Tsuna could feel the aura around the raven-haired turn into something black, menacing, and suffocating.

Kyoya angrily glared in return.

"Glare all you want, I'm not scared of you!" The leader smirked as he looked down at Kyoya. Like the other two kids behind him, he was taller than the skylark.

Kyoya only continued to glare. His murderous aura thickened, but the group before him didn't seem to notice. But Tsuna did. And he promptly voiced his concern when he saw the raven-haired took out his wooden tonfas.

"Wait, Kyoya-san—"

"Oya, what are those?" The two kindergarten students paused, and Tsuna stared worriedly at the leader of the small group. "Toy sticks?" The three grade schoolers then laughed at their own insult, unaware of what the "toy sticks" could really do.

Kyoya hissed in annoyance. He at last made a move to strike—when his father's words suddenly came to stop him like before.

 _"Violence isn't always the answer, Kyoya."_

The raven-haired clicked his tongue. His knuckles were white as snow as he restrained himself from letting the tonfa close the one-inch distance from the tallest kid's terrified face. Slowly and reluctantly, he withdrew his weapon. He turned around, and began to walk away.

"Ha... ha..." the tallest kid laughed unbelievably. "Hahaha, I knew it! You're just the same as your father! You're both nothing but cowards!"

With that lone, single comment, all the self-control Kyoya had mustered immediately disappeared. He finally snapped.

"Mock me all you want," Kyoya said as he slowly faced the three grade schoolers again. "But don't you dare insult my father!" He then lunged—attacked—his heart bent on giving the group the beating they all much deserve.

" _Kamikorosu!_ "


	38. Chapter 37: Patch up

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

 **Author's note:** _Shoji –_ a door, window or room divider consisting of translucent paper over a frame of wood

(Reference: wiki/Shoji)

... .. .

 **Chapter 37: Patch up**

Silver-gray eyes stared silently at the painting in front, oblivious to its beauty. Oblivious to the vibrant colors the canvas held. Oblivious to the way the flowers bloomed to exhibit their breathtaking elegance.

Because there was simply nothing beautiful at all about the stunning painting. At least, for him.

Barely anything beautiful or endearing registered in the old man's mind for the past year or so. To him, the world was nothing but a harsh mural of grays and blacks, and sometimes the occasional blank white. Other colors could no longer stain his once vibrant world.

Not since _he_ left them.

Destroyed their lives and made them wallow in their pitiful sorrow with his absence.

With his abrupt goodbye.

"Yuuki-sama has arrived, sir." A voice inquired, after a soft knock.

"Let her in." And then the old man heard the gentle swish of the _shoji_ door, the barely audible shuffling of feet as it entered, the surely quiet thud of forehead when it touched the _tatami_ floor. He never saw the actions, because his back was to her after all.

Quietly, he moved to tighten the fold of his arms within the sleeves of his kimono. "How was it?"

Yuuki lifted her head from the deep bow, but she did not dare look at the old man standing in front. Her eyes were still cast to the floor as she spoke. "The other children were not badly hurt, thanks to some passersby who saw the fight and stopped it. The school was informed, and Kyoya received only three days of suspension."

Silver-gray eyes narrowed at the painting. "How many were they?"

"They were three. And they were all apparently Kyoya's old classmates," Yuuki supplied. She immediately felt the tension in the air thicken. She truly did not want to mention that the kids her son had a fight with were his old classmates, but she knew the old man before her would learn of it sooner or later. Hiding things from him, especially around this time, was not a good idea.

"Where's Kyoya now?"

"At our house, resting." She did not need to mention his friend.

The head of the Hibari clan went silent for a while then. He still would not turn and look at his daughter-in-law, still seated on her heels, head inclined deeply in respect. Another question entered his mind, one that did not concern his grandson's fight. It was a query that would always appear whenever she came. And just like the many times before, he shunned it away.

"Is that all?" he said instead. He could always ask it next time.

"Yes," Yuuki answered.

"Then you may go now." Dismissed.

Yuuki gave her final bow to him.

"Hai, Outo-sama."

... .. .

Tsuna swung his legs in the air as he tried to entertain himself, his limbs too short for the wooden porch. He looked at the quaint Japanese garden in front of him, and then turned to his backside to steal another glance at Kyoya for who knew how many times. Kyoya did not seem to notice.

The brunette frowned. From the moment they came back from the police station, the older boy went straight to the living room and sat there, to silently brood.

The fight earlier didn't even last that long. Some adults saw them and broke the conflict, leaving a frustrated Kyoya and three slightly beaten elementary students. The five of them were then dragged to the police station, which made Tsuna worry not only for his well-being, but also for Kyoya's. Their school was apparently contacted then, who in turn called their parents. Shortly after, the mothers came; Nana noticeably absent for her cell was out of reach.

Kyoya's mother then immediately apologized to the other parents after she checked their conditions. The women accepted the apology in hushed tones, their desire for justice quelled when they saw who she was. Wordlessly, Yuuki took their hands after and took them to the Hibari household, leaving them there as soon as they arrived.

Half an hour had pass since then, and Kyoya's mother had yet to return.

Tsuna now settled to stare long and hard at the skylark. Usually, this would have already irritated the latter, snapping at him in annoyance. Yet Kyoya continued to gaze at the low wooden table, trapped in a trance. Worried, Tsuna walked towards Kyoya and stood in front of him, on the other side of the square table. But the raven-haired still ignored him, so Tsuna decided to slap his hands loud on the table and shout.

"Kyoya-san!"

Kyoya finally snapped back to reality and looked up at the worried Tsuna. He still refused to talk.

Tsuna furrowed his brows. He really wanted to ask about Kyoya's father, about him being a… murderer. Wanted to know if that honestly was the truth or not. But it was plain as day that Kyoya wasn't himself right now. They still hadn't even made up, whether they were in a fight or not.

Pushing back his curiosity, Tsuna spoke again. "I... I won't ask anymore about Kyoya's papa, but," he paused to gaze Kyoya in the eye. "I—I just want you to know that I'm here if Kyoya-san needs someone to talk to."

"..." Kyoya broke the eye contact. "Actually, Tsunayoshi..." he began, finally deciding to speak. "I was thinking, if I should tell you or not."

Tsuna blinked. "Tell me about...?"

"My father." Tsuna already knew too much, Kyoya had argued to himself. He also knew that the brunette was itching to ask him about his father, but for his sake decided not to. Truthfully, he didn't want Tsuna to know anything about this—because it also meant revealing to him what had happened the past year.

Kyoya narrowed his eyes, having second thoughts. He then gazed again at the concerned caramel-brown eyes, the warmth he had felt on that spring day washing over him once more.

He didn't really want to let this warmth go—

Didn't really want his only friend, Tsuna, to leave too—

And so, he made up his mind.

Kyoya suddenly stood up from his seat and walked towards the _engawa_. "Let's go."

"Eh, to—to where?" the surprised Tsuna managed to ask.

"To visit my father." Kyoya then stopped. He turned to the still-stunned brunette. "Also, bring an umbrella."

Tsuna finally snapped from his surprise. "Eh—but, it doesn't look like it's going to rain," he argued as he himself approached the _engawa_ , glancing then at the sky when he got there.

"It will," Kyoya said as he gazed as well at the clear blue sky. "It always rains on this day."


	39. Chapter 38: Father's memories

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

... .. .

 **Chapter 38: Father's memories**

 _Where are we?_ Tsuna asked himself as he observed his surroundings. Wherever he looked, he could only see these tall, neatly cut rectangular stones with names etched on them, most of which the five-year old could not read.

"Tsunayoshi," Kyoya called when he felt Tsuna stop, reminding the brunette to keep pace. "We're almost there."

Tsuna nodded once in response, and followed behind Kyoya again. It was not until ten minutes later when the two finally arrived at their destination.

Tsuna stood with curious caramel-brown eyes at the rectangular stone in front. It was large, grand, and regal—but it was also grim, melancholic—depressing. He recognized the kanjis of Kyoya's family name carved onto the stone, having seen it on the raven-haired's notebook before.

"Is this where..." he began to ask, but is afraid to finish.

"Yes," Kyoya answered, no longer needing to hear the whole query. He already knew what the brunette wanted to know. "This is where my father is."

Tsuna's brows furrowed. "What is this place, Kyoya-san?"

"The Namimori Cemetery."

Tsuna's eyes widened in shock. He vaguely remembered his mother telling him a cemetery was a place where "people who can no longer be with us sleep forever"—a place for people who died. He looked at Kyoya, wanting to see what the other was feeling but was unable to, since the skylark's back was to him. Tsuna frowned.

He moved to stand beside the raven-haired and stole a glance at his face. It betrayed nothing. Tsuna returned his gaze then back to the well-kept gravestone, staring at it as well in silence. Moments passed, and he suddenly had the urge to look up at the sky, and was astonished to see at how dark it had become since they left the skylark's house. It now looked like it would rain at any moment.

"...my father."

Tsuna turned to Kyoya. "Eh?"

"He was a police officer." Tsuna blinked in surprise. He didn't dare utter a single word then, and it was another while before Kyoya continued.

"About a year and a half ago, there was a... hostage incident at the shopping district. A high school student was abducted from her school and became the captive. Many officers responded, including my father. And when Otou-san finally arrived at the scene, he was shocked to see who was behind it." Kyoya paused. "It was one of his closest friends."

"Otou-san then tried to negotiate with him. He didn't want his friend or the student to get hurt. He even lowered his gun to show that he meant no harm. But his friend didn't care—he instead abruptly shoots the girl, before he aimed the gun at my surprised father and shot him in the head." Kyoya's hands clenched tightly then at the memory, while his eyes stared angrily at the stone floor.

"My father's friend escaped, but he was caught a few days afterwards. We were later told that he was sentenced to a lifetime of imprisonment. We—we all thought that everything was over then, but sometime after people began to talk."

Immediately, the raven-haired's tightened hands began to shake. He tried to control it. "They said that Otou-san actually _let_ the girl be killed by his friend since she's from a rival family—that the whole thing was just a set up, to settle the feud between our family and that girl's. They said that my father's death was nothing but an accident, an unfortunate slip of the hand." Kyoya closed his eyes then, to steady himself. "We were able to clear the misunderstanding, not only to the people but also to the girl's family. However, even to this day, some still doubt that everything was just a coincidence."

Finally, the shaking of Kyoya's hands lessened. He took a deep breath, and exhaled. He opened his eyes. "It was my last day as a first grade kindergartener when that incident happened. So when I entered the second grade just a few weeks after, I remembered the other kids talking about my father like he was some kind of criminal. I was... really affected. I love my father. I really respect and admire him. So one day, when I couldn't hold myself back any longer, I got into a fight that had me suspended for two weeks. But even after the suspension was over, I refused to go back to school and be at the same room as those stupid herbivores."

Kyoya then abruptly turned to Tsuna, making the latter move back in surprise. "That's the reason why I got held back a year," he said before he once more looked down on the ground, all anger from his eyes disappearing, replaced by pure melancholy. "That's also the reason why I make rounds and try to ensure peace as much as I can." He walked closer then to the gravestone and touched it, feeling with his pale fingers the engraved name of his family. "Because my father, who loves Namimori more than anyone else, cannot anymore."

Silence immediately followed Kyoya's words, and in quietness did Tsuna gaze at his friend. Though the raven-haired would never admit it, Tsuna supposed it must also be the reason why Kyoya became more cold, and reserved. It wasn't _just_ because it was his personality, but it may also be because of that incident, and the things that happened after, that Kyoya became aloof to the one thing that killed his father—friendship.

 _Kyoya-san..._

Kyoya suddenly felt a small drop of water fall on his nose. He glanced up. Rain started to fall.

" _Ne, Otou-san, why is it always rains on your birthday?" Kyoya asked as he stared at the pouring rain outside. He frowned at it._

 _Akihiro chuckled as he hugged his pouting son, who was seated on his lap, closer to him. "Why, don't you like it?"_

" _No," answered Kyoya honestly. "It feels gloomy when it rains like this."_

" _Well I, for one, really like it."_

 _Kyoya looked up to his father, a questioning look in his eyes._

 _Akihiro's smile widened. "You see Kyoya, for me, the rain never felt gloomy," the older male said before he looked fondly at the rain_ _, at the way it trickled down the leaves of plants and trees, at how it removed all traces of dust and earth. "Because somehow, the rain never fails to wash away all my sorrow, giving me a chance to smile again."_

Kyoya never truly understood back then how the rain supposedly washed away his father's sadness, how it could make him smile once more. But now, standing in front of his father's grave as the rain poured on him, washing away the dirt and the grime and the feelings he had, he somehow understood.

"Otou-san..."

Suddenly, Kyoya felt a hand squeeze his tightly. One quite smaller than his. The pouring rain also stopped, a clear umbrella raised above, preventing the small droplets of water from drenching him any more.

He squeezed Tsuna's hand back.

"Happy Birthday."

On that cold, cold rainy afternoon, Kyoya was reminded of how warm another hand could be.


	40. Chapter 39: A warm, rainy night

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

... .. .

 **Chapter 39: A warm, rainy night**

"Achoo!"

"Mou, why are you both soaking wet when you have umbrellas with you?" Nana asked, her tone scolding, while her lips formed an angry pout as she dried Tsuna and Kyoya with a single large towel. The rain poured a lot harder than the two expected, so they had to run to the nearest house to take shelter, which apparently was Tsuna's.

"Here, both of you dry yourselves off while I go and ready the bath." The brunette mother handed them the slightly wet towel then, before stomping off to the bathroom.

"Your mom's really angry," Kyoya commented as he dried his arms.

"I guess we shouldn't have run then," Tsuna said in return as he dry out his unruly hair with the other end of the towel. He then felt another sneeze coming and turned away from Kyoya just in time.

"Achoo!"

"You look red," Kyoya stated as he eyed the unnatural red blush on Tsuna's cheeks. He afterwards placed a hand on the brunette's forehead. It was hot. "...you have a fever."

"Eh, really? How about you?" Tsuna asked as he reached out for Kyoya's neck. He too looked a bit red.

He immediately made a grim face. "...I think you have a fever too."

"The bath is ready!" Nana announced as she entered the living room. The two boys looked at her in surprise, their arms still stretched out as they felt the temperature of each other's skin.

Nana frowned. "Don't tell me..." Quickly, she knelt down and worriedly felt each of the boy's foreheads with the front of her hands. "Ara, ara, I was afraid of this..." she said before sighing.

She silently wished then for the rain to calm down tonight, at the very least.

... .. .

Since a bath in a tub was no longer an option, Nana decided to give them a sponge bath. Kyoya was reluctant at first, but with Nana's persuasion he finally gave in. She also made him wore one of Tsuna's larger pajamas, before ordering them to take a rest on Tsuna's bed after placing fever relief pads on their foreheads.

"I'm really sorry I only called now," Nana said apologetically. She did not forget to call Kyoya's mother, who apparently was worried sick that her son and his friend suddenly disappeared when she came back home.

"It's alright," Yuuki said after a sigh of relief. "I'm just glad they're safe."

"They also both have a fever, since they apparently ran to our house in this pouring rain," Nana said next. She then wondered what the two boys had been doing, and promptly decided to ask them when they got better. She was still unaware of the fight. "That's why I'm afraid that Kyoya-kun has to stay here for the night."

Yuuki easily gave her consent. "Then I'll leave Kyo-kun in your care. I'll also make sure to be there tomorrow morning to pick him up."

"And thank you, Nana-san, for taking care of him." Nana smiled at the gratitude. She then shared her welcome and finally bid Yuuki goodbye. After that, she went upstairs to inform the two boys, before proceeding to the kitchen to start making some warm porridge.

... .. .

"What's so funny?" Kyoya asked as he looked at the boy laughing softly beside him. Tsuna had immediately burst into chuckles when Nana left, making the raven-haired raised a brow then in wonder.

"N-Nothing," the brunette giggled. "It's just—I'm happy."

"We have fevers, and you're _happy_?"

"No, I'm not happy about that!" Tsuna pouted at Kyoya before he turned his attention back to the baby lion on the picture book. "It's just that, this is my first sleep over, and I'm really happy that I get to do it first with Kyoya-san."

The red on Tsuna's cheeks noticeably darkened as Kyoya stared at him dumbfoundedly. The skylark smiled then. "This is my first time too."

"Really?"

"Hn."

Tsuna gave Kyoya a warm smile, before he adjusted his position on the bed. The two lied side by side on the white furniture, chest down and upper body resting on lime-green pillows, Tsuna's favorite picture book propped before them for better reading.

A memory that surfaced earlier quietly nudged Tsuna's mind as he stared at the smiling lion. "Ne, Kyoya-san," he began.

"Hn?"

"I remember him now."

Kyoya furrowed his brows. "Who?"

Another smile graced Tsuna's lips. "Your papa, Hibari Akihiro." He then paused, to let himself fully remember. "He helped me once, when I got lost during my first errand. He helped me calm down when I cried, accompanied me with my shopping, and finally guided me home to mama. He's really kind, and I really like him," he finished.

Kyoya's narrow eyes widened again at the revelation. He immediately remembered a certain day when he was playing with his father, an afternoon when the older male recounted how he had helped an herbivore that didn't felt like an herbivore.

The raven-haired clearly remembered how happy his father was that he met such a boy—how he laughed, and later told him that he would soon understand the uniqueness of that herbivore once he met him.

Kyoya now turned to Tsuna, at the weak but stupidly brave herbivore beside him. There was no doubt, that _he_ was the one his father was talking about. He then suddenly ruffled the brunette's spiky but soft hair, before pulling him close so that he could rest his forehead on Tsuna's left temple.

"What's wrong Kyoya-san?" Tsuna asked as he turned his head slightly to Kyoya.

'...thank you,' Kyoya whispered instead of answering Tsuna's question, making the brunette's caramel-brown eyes widen. 'For being my friend.'

For after the incident with his father, Kyoya no longer had the desire to have friends—not only because friendship was what killed his Otou-san, but also because he did not felt the need to have any. Classmates who would only mock and insult him did not help to make him see otherwise.

But then, Kyoya felt alone. His mother and Isamu did help alleviate his loneliness—but it wasn't enough.

He still felt something was missing.

And that's when Tsuna came.

Unrelentingly fought his way to stay by his side and made sure to never leave. Continuously showed to him the warmth and comfort of having someone you could call a friend.

Revealed to him—what it was like to have someone say that he would never let you be alone again.

Kyoya now nuzzled closer to Tsuna, an unspoken gratitude in his action.

Tsuna smiled warmly at this, before he too, snuggled closer to his dear friend.

... .. .

 **The End.**

 **.**

 **.**

 **.**

 **—Joke.**

 **Hahaha, don't worry, we still have 17 chapters + epilogue to go, so this is far from the end. It just felt like it was when I was editing, so I kinda put it there to tease you all :p**

 **See you the day after tomorrow~**

 **Ciao!**


	41. Chapter 40: In order to protect

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

 **Author's note/announcement:** Okay, I see some are already wondering if they're going to grow up/ if I'll write them in their teenage years, and though I already replied to those who asked, for the silent ones out there, the answer is **YES,** but in the **sequel** (which I'm already working on). So you should enjoy their fluffy, kindergarten years for now and wait ;)

... .. .

 **Chapter 40: In order to protect**

'Ne, don't you think Hibari became a little bit scarier, Tsuna?' Takeshi whispered, though Tsuna couldn't fathom why, since the person they were talking about was nowhere in sight. Still, he imitated his friend and whispered too.

'I guess he is, a little bit more...' Tsuna whispered back, 'scary.' For ever since he came back from his suspension, Kyoya was, in a way, scarier. He began implementing the school's rules, and "disciplined" anyone who wouldn't abide them. He didn't physically hurt anyone though, but his ominous aura was enough to make anyone obey him.

Tsuna sighed before facing Takeshi's worried face. Both of them wondered then what had happened to the skylark on those three days he wasn't at school.

If only they knew.

Kyoya used almost the whole of each day of his three-day suspension for his rounds, trusting Tsuna to feed Isamu even in his absence.

On the first day, Kyoya noticed that the number of uncorrected (the term his father had always use) herbivores had increased. The additional light wounds and scratches on his body, not to mention him being more tired than usual, was evident of that. But he needed something more concrete.

And so on the second day, he surprised his father's old workplace when he suddenly barged in and asked (demanded) if the criminal activities in Namimori had increased. Everyone was stunned, but the terrifying glare they received from the young skylark made them all scramble in search of the information the boy needed. Ten minutes later they finally found it—and it unfortunately confirmed Kyoya's suspicion.

For the rest of that day, Kyoya searched his mind for a solution to the annoying problem at the same time he was correcting troublesome herbivores. He didn't found any though, so that day he slept quite irritably.

On the third and last day of his suspension, Kyoya accompanied his mother to the supermarket. While Yuuki was deciding what meat she should buy for their dinner, Kyoya watched with mild interest an older boy a few feet away, who was demanding his mother to buy a certain candy for him. The mother refused, reasoning they didn't have enough money, but promised him they would buy it on their next shopping trip. The boy didn't look happy at the compromise, so while his mother wasn't looking, he took the candy and hid it in his pocket. Kyoya was enraged.

" _What do you think you're doing, herbivore?_ "

"Hah?"

Kyoya's eye twitched at the tone. "Return what you took, _now._ "

"What the hell are you talking about?" the older boy asked, set on his fake obliviousness.

Kyoya's hands twitched this time, slowly nearing his hidden tonfas when he suddenly remembered the reason for his suspension. "Tsk." He then thought of another way he could correct the boy without physically touching him. He smirked.

Without further ado, Kyoya proceeded to looked at the boy straight into his eyes and gave him his best threatening glare, emitting a very dark, very murderous aura as he did so.

It worked.

The older boy screamed like a certain brunette he knew. The kid then threw out the candy from his pocket and ran to his mother, apologizing to her while the woman just watched in surprise and confusion at her son.

And at that moment, the skylark finally found the answer he was looking for.

Just correcting the unruly older herbivores wouldn't really help in decreasing them, so where better to start correcting than at the youngest member of the population that could discern good from bad? Though "correcting" didn't feel like the right word to use, and so Kyoya opted to "disciplining".

He smirked again. Kyoya knew most of the students in the kindergarten were scared of him, and so he would gladly use that fear for their disciplining.

He couldn't wait.

... .. .

"Ne Kyoya-san, you really look like you're enjoying yourself," Tsuna said as he opened his palms to feed Isamu.

Kyoya gave him a questioning stare.

"You know, with di—dis—disciplining the other kids." Tsuna still had a hard time pronouncing the word. "You told me before that you were protecting this town because your papa couldn't anymore. But it looks to me you're doing it because you want to—because you yourself want this place to be safe for everyone."

Kyoya could only blink in surprise at Tsuna's observation.

The brunette, on the other hand, smiled at his friend's surprised silence. He then slowly removed his attention from Isamu, before he turned to Kyoya and gazed straight into his clear blue-gray eyes.

"You really love Namimori, don't you?"

Kyoya immediately remembered the Namimori he saw back then on his last day of suspension. The Namimori that was basked in the warm orange glow of the sunset as he stood atop a cliff, there for the specific purpose of gazing the sunset-lit town. It was then, at that moment, did he felt it—his love for Namimori, _his_ Namimori.

And he would do everything he could to protect his beloved town—that he swore on that afternoon day.

A smile crept on his lips as Kyoya remembered the promise, before he moved on to give Tsuna the answer to his rhetorical question.

"Hai."


	42. Chapter 41: Shinyuu

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

... .. .

 **Chapter 41: Shinyuu**

The smooth skin between Tsuna's eyebrows creased as he stared at the strangely joined familiar words on his new picture book. He looked back and forth between the compound word and the picture of two animal friends hugging each other, before he finally turned around and asked his papa about the word's meaning.

"Ne Papa, what's a 'best friend'?" the brunette asked. "Is that some kind of special friend?"

Iemitsu, who was previously picking his nose with his pinkie while lounging on the floor, laughed good-naturedly at his son's query. He then patted the top of Tsuna's head twice before answering. "Well, kind of. You see Tsuna, a best friend is someone you consider as your closest friend, a person you're really comfortable with and who you can tell all your secrets to."

There was only one person that came to the brunette's mind after he heard the answer. And by the next day, in a lazy afternoon when the sun didn't shine too bright or too dim, when the wind wasn't too cold or too warm, when everything was just as ordinary and peaceful like any other day, Tsuna decided to ask.

"Ne Kyoya-san, are we... best friends?"

Kyoya looked up at Tsuna, seated right beside him while he was laid down on the white rooftop of their school. They locked gazes for a brief moment—before the skylark smirked, closed his eyes, and gave him an answer.

He only nodded his head once, since that was enough to answer the brunette's silly question.

 _We are._


	43. Chapter 42: October 14

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

 **Author's note:**

 _Otanjoubi omedetou_ – "Happy Birthday" in Japanese

 _Gashapon_ – _"refers to the variety of_ _vending machine_ _-dispensed_ _capsule toys_ _popular in_ _Japan_ _and elsewhere"_ (reference: wiki/Gashapon)

 **[Edited 12/9/2015: Fixed some mistakes]**

... .. .

 **Chapter 42: October 14**

October fourteen—it was the day Sawada Tsunayoshi was born, and the day he now finally turned six. It was also the birthday that Tsuna's parents finally decided to have a party for, though they didn't invite a lot of people—only Tsuna's teacher, his fiancée, and friends at the kindergarten and their parents.

Even so, the party had a lot of games, delicious food, and good laughter. It was an incredible day for the brunette, and it became even more so when Nana finally gave him the permission to open his presents.

"Wow!"

Tsuna's eyes sparkled as he opened each gift—there was a rare _gashapon_ toy from Takeshi, a pack of monster playing cards from Ryohei, a stationary set from Kyoko, a handkerchief from Hana, a picture book from Aoki and Tomoe, and a toy robot from his parents. Tsuna smiled brightly. He was really happy with the gifts he received, really, but then there was one that was missing—a present from the person he wanted to receive the most.

Tsuna checked again with his eyes if he had somehow missed it. But all the gifts on the table were already opened. He then gazed at Kyoya, who was standing across from him—an indifferent expression on the raven-haired's face as he stared back at the brunette.

Tsuna was the first one to look away, a little dejected.

When the party finally ended and all the guests had gone home, Tsuna wandered by himself in their front yard as Nana and Iemitsu cleaned the house. It was then, when he was brushing the sole of his shoes against the soft grass, did he felt a tap on his shoulder.

"Tsunayoshi."

Tsuna turned around, surprised that Kyoya had stayed behind. Without a word, the raven-haired raised his right hand and showed it to the brunette.

There, on his right ring finger, laid a colourful, hand woven ring—the friendship ring that Tsuna had given him more than a day after his birthday.

" _Otanjoubi omedetou._ "

Tsuna only stared at it.

"You did made me promise, that when we're finally friends, I need to wear it as a sign of our friendship," Kyoya explained.

Tsuna immediately laughed aloud. Honestly, he had forgotten about that ring—so many things had happened since that day, but he was glad Kyoya remembered.

"Wait for me," Tsuna said as he wiped the happy tears away from his eyes. "I'll go and get mine."

... .. .

 **Omake**

Kyoya was at a loss.

Tsuna's birthday was tomorrow, and he still hadn't found the gift he wanted to give. The skylark already searched every store his allowance could afford, watched commercials that could spark an inspiration, looked at magazines that could give some hints. He even asked his mother, who only gave him a reply of, "I think Tsuna-kun will appreciate any gift you give him, Kyo-kun."

Of course, knowing the little brunette, Tsuna would be incredibly happy with whatever gift Kyoya would give to him. That's why it was so hard to look for the right one.

"Tsk." Kyoya clicked his tongue. He really hated the herbivorous feeling of worry.

The raven-haired now searched his drawer for an idea, for anything that would finally tell him what gift to give to Tsuna, when his blue-gray eyes suddenly caught sight of a small brown box hidden deep within the drawer. He took it out, curious as what it held, but was able to remember before he fully removed the cover.

He smiled then.

He finally had the perfect gift for his best friend.

... .. .

 **Author's rambling:** So yeah... I seriously forgot about that friendship ring. I only remembered it when I was thinking if Kyoya should give Tsuna a friendship bracelet, when I vaguely recalled that Tsuna already gave Kyoya something of the sort. And when I checked chapter 16, Tsuna really did (though it was a ring).

And I know I could've placed the ring somewhere earlier (like when they finally became friends) when I was editing this whole fanfic, but I didn't really want to go back to create and edit again the necessary scenes. Besides, placing it here is much fluffier. Hehe.

See you again the day after tomorrow!

Ciao~


	44. Chapter 43: The first goodbye

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

... .. .

 **Chapter 43: The first goodbye**

Tsuna hummed happily as he walked the familiar path to the back garden of the now sleeping sakura trees, as he always did after their class ended.

He then paused his wordless song, and let his smile widen as he gazed at the small bag of birds seeds in his right hand—new arrivals that he had bought with Kyoya just the other day. _Isamu would definitely love it_ , Tsuna thought. The bird loved trying out new things after all.

Tsuna continued his humming then, his pace now faster with his barely contained excitement.

It was one of those happy, ordinary days of feeding their little brown bird—days that had started awkwardly but now seemed like it had always been a part of his life.

It was supposed to be.

"Isamu! Isamu! ISAMU!"

Kyoya's slow stride immediately turned into a worried run when he heard Tsuna's desperate calls. When he arrived at last at the back garden, he saw the brunette was standing by himself, his back to him, the bird seeds they bought the other day laying depressingly on the ground next to his feet.

"What happened?" Kyoya asked when he was finally at Tsuna's side, though he could already guess what.

Tsuna wiped away the tears that threatened to fall. "Isamu... He—He's— _"_ he abruptly paused, to will himself not to cry. He clenched his trembling hands. " _Isamu's gone_ , Kyoya-san. I can't—I can't find him! _"_ he shouted as he turned to the raven-haired. He then looked down on the ground as dark thoughts invaded his mind—circumstances and what ifs that could have happened to Isamu—all of it not ending too well to their little bird.

"What if—What if Isamu—"

"Shh..." Kyoya said as he gently patted Tsuna's head in an effort to comfort the brunette. Tsuna relaxed, though only a little. "Do you want to look for him again, together?"

Tsuna could only nod.

The two looked for Isamu everywhere then—at every nook and cranny they could think of where the little brown bird might be. For hours they searched, but they could still find no sign of the bird. It was the beginning of nightfall when they finally stopped.

"Maybe he just went out for a little adventure today," Kyoya suggested.

"Maybe..." Tsuna wished, but something inside him told him it wasn't. He prayed that feeling was wrong.

... .. .

The next day, and the days after that, they searched for Isamu again—in the early morning and immediately after the end of their class. But as the days went by the truth slowly sinked in to Tsuna.

Isamu was gone, and he would never come back.

Kyoya now sat beside Tsuna, who was silently crying on his folded arms. The raven-haired then looked up at the orange sunset, at the flock of birds passing by high above in the sky.

"When I first met Isamu, I looked up at what kind of bird he is," Kyoya recalled. "Though I never found out what, I think he's the kind that changes home when it gets too cold where he currently is." A loud sniff could then be heard from Tsuna, before the brunette raised his head and looked at Kyoya. "So I think Isamu didn't really want to leave. But he can't stay here, since it's not good for him."

Tsuna sniffed again. "Do you think... do you think Isamu is in a better place now?"

"Yes, I think so."

Tsuna rested his chin on his folded arms, contemplating. "I guess it's been really cold these past few days..." he finally said after a while. It wouldn't be after a few days more until Tsuna at last fully accepted Isamu's leave. It was the first goodbye the brunette had ever experienced after all, a goodbye by someone he dearly loves.

It was the first, and it was not the last.


	45. Chapter 44: A test of courage

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

... .. .

 **Chapter 44: A test of courage**

Kyoya was _seriously_ pissed.

As a seven-year old, he rarely used such vulgar words like "pissed", but this was one of those very, _very_ rare occasions when the word "annoyed" or "irritated" was just not enough of an adjective to describe what he was feeling right now.

And so again, Kyoya was seriously pissed.

Since it was the last day of October, the white-haired herbivore had to, of course, instigate a test of courage—by walking through the Namimori cemetery. Kyoya declined to come, he tried to, as it was late (at twilight time, because they would all be scolded if they did it at night), and also because it was just really a big waste of his time.

But Tsuna just had to come to his house and beg, hadn't he?

"HIEEE!"

He guessed he now knew why Tsuna pleaded. Still, it didn't improve his mood. "Can you _please_ let go of my shirt?"

The terrified brunette did the opposite. "B-Bu—wha—if—th—!" Whatever it was he was trying to say, the fear made it utterly incomprehensible.

Kyoya sighed and placed a hand on his aching head. "If ghosts and such scares you, then why did you come here and _dragged_ me into it?"

Tsuna looked down, his death grip on Kyoya's shirt loosening a bit. "B-Because I thought it would be fun, and that if I'm with Kyoya-san it—it wouldn't be so scary..."

" _But it didn't turn out that way, didn't it?_ "

Tsuna was too scared to respond. Another sigh escaped the raven-haired's lips. "Let's go. The sooner we finish this the better. And let go of my shirt."

The younger of the two finally did what he was told, but stayed too close behind for Kyoya's comfort, though the latter didn't told him off. At least he was going home with his shirt intact.

It wasn't until a good five minutes later then, when Kyoya suddenly heard a loud scream that could only belong to the brunette.

He sharply turned around, surprised that he didn't even felt Tsuna leave his back, before he ran as fast as he could to the scream's source.

"Tsuna—"

Kyoya suddenly paused, shocked to see the creature that made Tsuna shout in fear.

"K-K-Kyoya-san, help me!" Tsuna begged.

But Kyoya didn't move. He only stood there, frozen. It was only when the brunette shouted his name again did he finally regained his senses. Slowly and shakingly, the raven-haired took a rock lying near him and flicked it at the small creature flapping furiously above the cowering brunette. Luckily the rock hit it, unluckily the rock didn't kill it, and so the small sturdy creature tumbled to the ground and scurried off.

When Tsuna couldn't hear the creature's flapping noise any longer, he cautiously look up and was relieved to see that it was no longer there. He then turned to Kyoya, and was shocked to find him sitting on the ground—his complexion a shade paler, and his hand still in the position of an after-flick.

Tsuna may be slow, but he wasn't stupid. He put two and two together and asked, "Kyoya-san, don't tell me you're afraid of—"

" _Don't_ , or I'll seriously bite you to death, _herbivore_."

Tsuna did just the right thing and closed his mouth.

"But..." Tsuna being Tsuna, began to ask as they walked side by side in the cemetery, all fear of ghosts and such lost by that little incident. "I'll admit that that... thing is scary, but it's so small and... small that I didn't think Kyoya-san is also... afraid of it."

A memory flashed in Kyoya's mind, one where he woke up one fine morning with a creature he would-not-even-name attached to his face. "Didn't I threaten you earlier?"

"Y-Yeah... but I'm just a bit curious..."

"They said curiosity killed the cat. And it will again if you don't shut up."

The rest of the walk was done in silence.

... .. .

"Yo, you're finally back!" Ryohei greeted as they exited.

"We heard a scream, is everything alright?" Kyoko asked.

"And a very girly one at that," Hana added with a brow raised.

Tsuna just laughed awkwardly. "Y-Yeah, I just thought I saw a ghost so..." he trailed off.

"Ahaha, then it's a good thing Hibari's with you, ne? I heard he's not afraid of anything!" Takeshi said.

"Right..." Tsuna agreed, though now he knew that wasn't true. He then turned to Kyoya, who was deathly pale with his eyes cast to the ground. Tsuna looked down as well, and saw the same creature earlier scurrying about below. He paled too.

Well at least Hibari Kyoya, the would-be most feared person in Namimori, was afraid of something. Even if it was just a small, actually-not-that-scary insect called a cockroach.

... .. .

 **Author's rambling:** Though a few years later he would have probably overcome it -.-

Ciao!


	46. Chapter 45: He's real!

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

 **Authors rambling:** Huh. I can see most of you have an undying hate for cockroaches. Actually, I too, dislike them, _especially_ the f*cking (need to keep this K+) flying ones. And yes—to that anonymous reader who was shocked that these freaks of nature even have the ability to flap a wing—they _can freaking fly_. Though not all of them. Only certain species can, or will.

... .. .

 **Chapter 45: He's real!**

They were fighting. Again.

It wasn't uncommon now for the two, and somehow the people around them enjoyed the bickering show before they would convince the pair to make up when the fight dragged on for too long.

And since Christmas was just two weeks away, Tsuna and Kyoya decided to argue about the existence of a fat Claus named Santa.

"I told you, he's real!" Tsuna shouted, cheeks red for the effort.

"I told you, he is not!" Kyoya uncharacteristically shouted too, his cheeks flush for the same reason as Tsuna's.

Their mothers just chuckled happily on the bench not too far from them. It was a good day, and the two women had decided to have a nice day out at the park. And just a few minutes after their children finished making their snow man, they talked about Santa Claus—whom Tsuna happily spoke about like he existed, and where Kyoya spoke of like he never did.

And so the fighting continued.

"Where did the presents came from then?!" Tsuna both asked and shouted.

Kyoya answered with a shout too. "Where else? From our parents! How can even a fat old man sneak in a house without anyone noticing and leave gifts? And even if he can, we don't even have chimneys he can go down to!"

Tsuna gave him the ultimate answer, "Magic, of course!"

With that one phrase, Kyoya finally found his calm. He then looked down at Tsuna and raised an eyebrow. "Are you _stupid_?"

Tsuna did not cry. He was about to, but he was able to stop himself. He looked angrily at Kyoya and shouted, "Maybe the reason why you don't believe in Santa is because he never visited you! Since Santa never visits bad kids like you, Kyoya-san!" He then turned around and ran away at full speed.

"Oh my," Nana said as she stood up. "Sorry Yuuki-chan. If I don't follow Tsu-kun he might get lost or something. Let's hang out again sometime, ne?"

"Alright, take care!" Yuuki shouted as Nana went after her son. The dark-haired mother then looked at her own, still angry by his best friend's outburst.

She mildly wondered how long this fight would last.

... .. .

Kyoya was sulking at the corner of their living room. A week had already passed since that fight in the park, and Yuuki finally decided that it had been dragging on for far too long already. So quietly, she approached her son and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Ne Kyo-kun, don't you think it's about time to make up?" she began.

"But I'm not in the wrong," Kyoya protested.

"Do you really believe Santa isn't real?"

"I do." Kyoya paused. He turned to his mother and looked at her in the eyes. "But if... if I start to believe in him, then won't that mean I've been a "bad boy" since he never visited me?"

Yuuki blinked, surprised. She then smiled before pulling her son to her lap. "You know Kyo-kun, there are a lots and lots of children in the world, and Santa is all by himself giving gifts to everyone. So sometimes, he missed some children and is unable to give them their gifts."

"Then why can't he even visit me once?"

"Because he knows you'll understand, Kyo-kun, since you're very mature for your age."

Kyoya looked down, not happy with the answer.

Yuuki patted his head. "Why don't you try and apologize to Tsuna-kun? Santa knows you're a good child, so maybe he'll make an exception this year and give you an early gift?"

Kyoya did not reply, his eyes still cast down on the ground. But Yuuki knew that was one of his son's ways of saying yes.

By the next day, Tsuna and Kyoya made up.

And the next two days after that, Kyoya had the surprise of his life.

It was after he got back from his rounds. Kyoya noticed when he entered his room a small gift wrapped in snow white paper on his bedroom table. When he got closer to it, he noticed a red card with white text beside the gift. He immediately read it.

 _Dear Kyoya,_

 _I know I haven't visited you, not even once, in these past seven years of your life. And I'm deeply sorry for that. I've always known you're a good boy, and please do continue to be so. Also, even though it's a little early, here's your Christmas gift, as I may not be able to visit you on Christmas day itself, again._

 _Have a Merry Christmas!_

 _– Santa_

Of course, the first thing Kyoya thought was that his mother was the one behind this. But then he remembered that she was out in the main house since yesterday, and no one other than her would do something like this. Still, he didn't believe it. He instead sighed and unwrapped the present, to see what kind of gift he received.

And that's when Kyoya got the surprise of his life.

Inside the box was that one thing he wanted the most, that one thing his mother—and even Tsuna—did not know about. He made sure to never tell anyone about it, or even mention any word similar to it.

Kyoya raised it in the air. He smiled.

Maybe Santa was real.

... .. .

 **Another rambling:** If there are... alie—I mean, superior humans in the KHR world, why can't Santa be real then? Is my point in this. Somewhat.

...

...

OK, that rambling just didn't make any sense. Sorry.

Also, I'll leave it to you readers what that one thing Hibari wants the most to your imagination.

Though, if this has a romance tag on it, that one thing will definitely be a photo of Tsuna. A whole freaking box of it.

Ciao.


	47. Chapter 46: A cold eve

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends– much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

 **Japanese terms used in this chapter (according to appearance):**

 _Hakama –_ the wide divided/undivided pair of trousers that looked like a skirt worn by men

 _Haori_ – the kimono jacket worn on top of a longer kimono

 _Kiseru_ – Japanese smoking pipe

 **Author's rambling:** You all should already expect this but— _ohmygosh~_ 300 reviews already?! And exactly too?! The favorites and the follows are also—just—oh my, people—

THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

:D

... .. .

 **Chapter 46: A cold eve**

"Can we not go?"

"Why not?" Yuuki asked back as she securely tied her son's _hakama._

Kyoya thinned his lips. He didn't really want to answer. "...because those herbivores talk a lot."

"Kyo-kun," Yuuki began in a light, scolding tone. "No matter how much you like that word, don't address your relatives as "herbivores". Even if you don't like them, they're still your family. Your father didn't even use it on them."

 _But herbivores are still herbivores._ Kyoya retaliated in his mind. "I hate crowding too," he offered.

Yuuki sighed. "You know we must go," she finally said, much to Kyoya's dismay. "The main family cannot be absent after all. Now raise your arms."

Kyoya unwillingly did so, his small arms slipping into the sleeves of his black _haori_ , the Hibari family crest emblazoned on it in beautiful gold.

"Besides," Yuuki added, "your grandfather said that this year's gathering will be different, so we really need to go."

It had become a tradition of sorts, for the Hibari clan to gather at the main house on Christmas Eve. Its main and sole purpose was to catch up on the different family branches' affairs, which what was done in the last hundreds of years, or at least, up until last year.

And so, just a few months ago, the head of the Hibari clan decided to use this year's gathering to at last face and resolve the problem that came up just a little more than year ago.

That is, the death of Kyoya's father—Hibari Akihiro, the only heir to one of the oldest, and most powerful clan in Namimori.

The mother and son finally went out of the house ten minutes after they finished getting dressed, hand in hand, both of them clad respectively in their formal black kimono. Kyoya noticed the solemn and somber atmosphere of the usually joyful and cheery occasion, the cold bitter snow only making it more so. Being who he was, Kyoya would have preferred it this way, where it not for the not so silent whispers and contemptuous stares aimed at his mother. Yuuki's grip on his hand tightened then, already warning him before they left to ignore such things.

And so he unwillingly did.

"Good day, Yuuki."

The expressionless line that was Yuuki's lips quickly turned to a genuine smile when she recognized the man—dressed in a purple robe and black sunglasses—in front of them.

"Fon-kun! I thought you were still in China!"

"I was, until yesterday. It's the clan's annual gathering after all. I can't miss it," Fon said with a smile hidden behind his collar.

Yuuki could tell it's a lie, but she let it slide.

"Good day to you too, Kyoya," Fon greeted next, lowering down to the young boy's level as he did.

Kyoya didn't greet back. He just turned away and studied the frozen pond.

"Kyo-kun!"

Fon chuckled. "It's fine, it's fine. Since I know why he doesn't like me."

Yuuki touched her forehead and sighed. "Sorry, Fon-kun. I know I raised him better than this."

"I already told you, it's fine." Fon stood back up. He tilted his head then when he noticed Yuuki staring strangely at him.

"How did you enter by the way? And where's Lichi?"

"Pardon?"

"You know what I mean." It was only Akihiro, Yuuki, and Kyoya after all, who knew of Fon's current state. To the other people inside the estate, Fon in his purple disguise was a complete and total stranger to them—and so to the majority of the Hibari clan.

Fon raised a single finger to his concealed lips. "I have my ways," he said to them before turning around. "Also, I left Lichi in the room I'm renting." He didn't say anything further, so Yuuki just shrugged her shoulders and followed him, Kyoya's hand still linked to hers, happy that at least there was someone else there who wasn't indifferent to her.

... .. .

"I'm really happy that you all are able to come here," the head of the Hibari clan, Hibari Yuudai, began. "Especially you, Fon," he stated next as he turned to his left hand side.

"This year's gathering is a special one after all," Fon said in reply, still in his purple garb.

Yuudai looked at all the fourteen participants of the meeting then—twelve branch heads and two main family members, excluding himself—seated across each other inside the traditional meeting hall, starting from Fon on his left continuing around to his right, his eyes lingering on his daughter-in-law, Yuuki, and after that on his grandson, Kyoya, who was seated on his right hand side.

"I'll get right to the point. A little more than a year ago, we lost our only heir, my son, Akihiro." He paused, to let everyone remember, including him, the bitter memory of his only child's death. "For more than a year, we have all averted our eyes from this dilemma, all because of the pain Akihiro has left us with his untimely passing. I know everyone here wants no other person to take his place, like the title of being the heir of Namimori's most powerful clan only belongs to him, but!" Yuudai then slammed his fist on the table, startling everyone except the two main family members and Fon.

"We all know that is not true, and the next heir must be officially assigned." The old man exhaled, before placing his hand once again on his lap. "According to our tradition, in case of a premature death of an already eligible head, the next one should be someone within the clan who can readily replace the current head, which is me, other than of course having the requirements to be one. But, I won't follow that practice." A pause. "Instead, I will make my grandson, Hibari Kyoya, as the next heir."

There was immediately an explosion of murmurs, that became louder and louder before finally turning to barely contained protests. Yuudai effectively silenced the noise with a loud tap of his _kiseru._ "As the head of the clan, this is my decision. And I only gathered you all here today to make the announcement, not to ask for your opinions."

More silence followed, before Yuudai stood up and finally made the proclamation. "On this 24th day of December, with the twelve branch heads and main family members as witnesses, I, Hibari Yuudai, the seventh head of the Hibari clan, am officially designating my grandson, Hibari Kyoya, as the new heir."

And so, immediately after that, the meeting was adjourned.

Though the new heir wasn't happy at all about the inheritance.

"What's wrong, Kyoya?" Fon asked as he looked at the clearly annoyed child. Kyoya didn't speak, still refusing to talk to him, settling instead to gazing at the snow covered garden, his folded arms resting on the window sill. Yuuki was noticeably absent, as she was asked by Yuudai to stay behind for a private talk.

The raven-haired boy promptly remembered then the solemn look on his mother's face before he left. He balled his hand, irritated now more to himself since he couldn't do anything to help her.

"You know Kyoya, you're really like Akihiro."

For the first time, Kyoya look properly at Fon, his blue-gray eyes asking silently what he meant.

Fon smiled behind the high collar. "When Akihiro couldn't do anything to help those he wanted to help, he would always blame himself and his powerlessness, just like what you're doing right now."

Eyes widened before they turned to the small clenched fist. "...where...where you and Otou-san really close?" Kyoya asked, his gaze still on his closed hand.

"Very," Fon answered, his own eyes narrowing softly at the memories. "Though I'm a distant cousin, Akihiro and I grew up together like brothers. I know everything about him, and he knows everything about me." _Except about the Arcobaleno curse_ , he mentally noted. "And so I can say with great confidence that you're very much like him, Kyoya."

"Hn..." Kyoya responded as he contemplated on Fon's words, wondering whether he should be happy or not. He then absentmindedly played on his friendship ring, which he now wore around his neck, thinking at present about Tsuna—at how the brunette didn't even know a single thing about his powerful family, even when he had come over his house quite a few times already.

Kyoya intended to keep it that way.

... .. .

Meanwhile, in a certain suburban home, a six-year old brunette stared outside at the softly falling snow, his head resting comfortably on his folded arms, his right thumb fiddling with his hand-woven ring.

As it was Christmas Eve, Nana was busy in the kitchen cooking a feast for them, while his father, Iemitsu, slept soundly on the living room floor as per usual.

Tsuna let out a visible warm breath. Though he felt both peaceful and contented right now, he also wished for a certain person to be by his side to celebrate Christmas with him. A certain irritable skylark, to be precise.

His lips spread to a smile. Slowly, he lifted his head up, gazed at the gray-white sky, and silently prayed to the stars hidden above to grant his wish—that next year, and the years after that, they let him celebrate Christmas with the scariest person he had ever met in his six-year old life—with his best friend, Hibari Kyoya.


	48. Chapter 47: At the shrine

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

 **Japanese terms used in this chapter:**

 _Hatsumode_ _ **–**_ first Shinto shrine visit of the Japanese new year

 _Omamori_ – Japanese amulet/charm/talisman

 **A little rambling:** Oh my _glooooob_ , we only have 10 chapters left! Ten! Including the epilogue, but not this one. Oh my.

... .. .

 **Chapter 47: At the shrine**

Tsuna clapped his hands twice, before he closed his eyes and bowed. He made a wish.

It was the New Year, and as was their custom, the Sawada family made their _hatsumode_ at the nearest Shinto shrine to their house. It wasn't Tsuna's first shrine visit, but the brunette couldn't exactly remember the first (since he wasn't even a year old back then), still, the amount of people visiting and the immensity of it all made him undeniably excited.

"Yo, Tsuna!" The brunette immediately turned to the direction of the voice, and quickly smiled at the sight of his friend. "Takeshi-kun!"

"Ahahaha, Happy New Year!" Takeshi greeted with his trademark laugh. Tsuna laughed too before greeting his friend back.

"Happy New Year Tsuna-kun, Yamamoto-kun!" The two boys turned around, and at once they were met with a smiling Kyoko in a cute, pink kimono, and Hana beside her in a beautiful, purple one.

They blushed.

Before suddenly cringing. "HAPPY NEW YEAR TO THE EXTREME!" Ryohei exclaimed behind Kyoko. Tsuna and Takeshi looked at each other after the greet, and promptly burst into laughter at their friend's loud greeting, barely able to respond back in between laughs.

"I see you kids are all in high spirits!"

"Whoa—!" Tsuna suddenly became taller than everyone else, his shorter friends staring up at him in amazement. He then noticed the familiar turf of blonde hair in front of him, and he finally realized that his father actually gave him a surprise shoulder ride.

"Papa!"

"Haha, having a good time with your friends Tsuna?" Iemitsu asked cheerily.

Tsuna nodded. "Yup!" The brunette then stayed on his father's shoulders as they both chatted with his friends, their parents and Nana standing not too far from them, having their own cheery talk. It was when Takeshi was talking about his growing interest in a game called baseball that Tsuna noticed a very familiar speck of black hair.

 _That looks like—_ He stretched up as much as he could, clutching on his father's short hair for support to see over the crowds of people walking about.

Tsuna's face visibly lit up. _It really is Kyoya-san!_ He was then about to call out the older boy's name, but stopped. At first he didn't know why, something inside him just told him not to. His brows furrowed at once as he tried to find the reason, before it shot up when his attention fell upon the old man walking beside his best friend.

His face was stern, his posture dignified, the black kimono he was wearing making him more so.

 _Who...?_

Tsuna turned to Kyoya, who he now noticed was wearing the same type of kimono, albeit smaller, the expression on his face nonchalant.

It was quite the contrast, Tsuna noted. For even with the bitter cold the brunette could feel the warmth and happiness from his friends and father, while over there at the raven-haired's, Tsuna could only feel coldness and rigidity surrounding the two.

He frowned.

"What's wrong Tsuna?" Iemitsu asked as he noticed the change in his son's demeanor.

The brunette shook his head and offered a smile. "It's nothing."

And thus, after all was said and done, goodbyes given and promises to see each other again at school taken, the four families finally headed to their respective homes, the Sawadas stopping first at the stand that sold _omamori._

"What's it for?" Tsuna asked as he tiptoed to see the rows of different colored talismans.

"It's mostly use for luck, for your own self or for someone else," Nana explained as she searched one for cooking.

"Can it make someone happy too?"

Nana blinked and looked at her son. She smiled. "Well, if you want to wish luck for their happiness, then yes, it can."

Tsuna's eyes brightened. The very next day, he went to Kyoya's house and happily gave him an _omamori_.


	49. Chapter 48: Every now and then

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

... .. .

 **Chapter 48: Every now and then**

"Tsunayoshi?" There was a tone of worry in his voice, concern he no longer cared to mask. Class already ended fifteen minutes ago, and the brunette was nowhere to be seen at their usual meeting spot near the school gates. Kyoya had search for him in his classroom, at the rooftop, the teacher's office, the clinic—anywhere he could think of where Tsuna could be. It was only when he ran out of places to search for did Kyoya finally figured out where his best friend was.

"Tsunayoshi," Kyoya called out again, but Tsuna did not respond. He only continued to look up at the still flowerless cherry blossom tree, the same tree where Isamu used to live.

Every now and then just like this, Tsuna would visit this part of the school and stare at that single sakura tree. _Maybe to remember those days_ , Kyoya had once thought, though he didn't truly know since he never asked. Not once had Tsuna shed a tear for Isamu since the day the bird left, but Kyoya could see that it didn't mean he wasn't missing him, or crying inside for him.

For the third time Kyoya called out Tsuna's name, before he stepped forward and took the brunette's hand in his, gripping it tightly. It was cold.

"No matter what happens, I'll always be here, by your side."

A few moments later, Kyoya felt the other hand squeeze back.

After that day, Tsuna rarely went back to that place, the promise of his best friend of always staying by his side quelling his once worried heart.


	50. Chapter 49: The chocolates

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

... .. .

 **Chapter 49: The chocolates**

He had heard of it, surely he had, he just couldn't remember where—of that single day of the year where _girls_ would give chocolates to the _boys_ they like.

So Kyoya stared rather dumbfoundedly at the outstretched arms, the quivering hands, and finally at the small red box tied with a chocolate-colored ribbon.

" _What is the meaning of this, Tsunayoshi_?" he asked out of the hundreds of questions his mind conjured up. The others could wait.

"Well..." Tsuna looked up with his large caramel-brown eyes, the gift still outstretched to the unwilling receiver. "It's—it's Valentine's, so..."

Kyoya sighed. "What I'm trying to ask, Tsunayoshi, is why are you giving them to me, a boy? Don't tell me you're secretly a girl?" Kyoya could imagine it.

"I'm clearly not!" Tsuna quickly denied, though he still mysteriously blushed. "You should know, we already took a bath together!"

"Then why are you giving me chocolates?"

"Well... t-that's because..." Tsuna trailed off, starting his characteristic mumbling.

Kyoya's eye twitched. For the first time ever, he raised his tonfas against Tsuna and demanded the brunette to speak clearly.

"Ma—Mama said that on Valentine's Day you should give chocolates to someone you really like! And I really like Kyoya-san so—" Tsuna stopped.

Kyoya tilted his head to the side. "So?"

"I-I'm giving you chocolates..." Tsuna's blush deepened.

Kyoya finally dropped his tonfas. "Tsunayoshi, are you aware that only girls give chocolates on Valentine's day?

"Eh?"

"Or on what kind of 'like' Nana-san was talking about?"

Tsuna blinked. "What do you mean?"

Kyoya closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. _That explains it all_ —the brunette may knew what romantic love was, seeing he understood something like that existed between their teachers, yet, somehow, he didn't realized that _that_ was the kind of 'like' his mother was referring to.

"You don't really want it?" Tsuna asked.

Kyoya opened his eyes. "It's not that. It's just—" The downcast look on Tsuna's face made him stop. He then stared at the brunette, the hand that was eager to give him the chocolates earlier now hanging limply on his side.

For the second time that day, Kyoya sighed. He finally took the ribboned box from Tsuna's hand before patting the brunette's head.

"Thank you."

Tsuna gave him a bright smile.

Kyoya, on the other hand, sighed for the third and last time. He now wondered what to give him on white day.


	51. Chapter 50: The decisions they made

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

 **Author's note:** Just a warning—this is barely fluffy at all. Really. This is one of the saddest chapters I've ever written for this fanfic (for me, at least). You have been warned.

 **[added some minutes after posting this chapter]:** To the first Anon reviewer for the last chapter, don't worry, I'll _definitely_ won't let them live that down ;) I'm writing the sequel now, and I'll make sure to put it here somewhere~

... .. .

 **Chapter 50: The decisions they made**

There it was again—that unpleasant feeling Tsuna would sometimes get whenever he visited Kyoya's home. He almost always felt it whenever any of the skylark's relative was in the compound, sensing it more so when that relative was near them. Though for whatever reason, Tsuna could always feel that unpleasantness whenever they passed by the "main house", as Kyoya had once mentioned, before it would finally disappear when they had completely passed the house.

Tsuna had also learned, on his second visit, that the extensive, walled land where Kyoya lived was called an "estate", and that everything belonged to his grandfather, even the traditional house—one of many within the walls—Kyoya and Yuuki resided in.

"Is there something bothering you, Tsunayoshi?" Kyoya asked as he turned to face the brunette. They were lounging quietly on the _engawa_ , munching on some apple they bought earlier. Though Kyoya did not mind the peace, it was very uncharacteristic for Tsuna to be so silent, since he would usually talk or comment about things every now and then. It made him worry.

" _Tsunayoshi_ ," Kyoya called again when Tsuna did not answer, now with a mild commanding tone to make the other speak.

Tsuna finally responded, to Kyoya's relief. "I know you said a while back to ignore the unpleasant feeling I get when I sometimes visit your house Kyoya-san, but... today..." Tsuna gripped his uneaten apple harder, looking for the right words to describe what he felt just a few minutes earlier. "...today it felt... worse, I guess?" The brunette shook his head. _That's not it._

"No, it felt more than that—like there was something _besides_ that unpleasant feeling in the air earlier. I don't know what it was but something felt off, or just—umm..." Tsuna trailed off, before he finally looked up and gave Kyoya a sheepish smile. "Sorry, I really can't explain it well."

Kyoya only stared at him then, his face a mask of indifference, before he turned his gaze back to the Japanese garden in front of him.

"...it's near," the skylark said after a while, the half-eaten apple forgotten beside him.

"What is?"

"His death anniversary."

Tsuna blinked. He already has an inkling, but still he asked, "...whose?"

"My father's."

A cold February breeze passed by them then, making the evergreen leaves of the trees rustle loudly in compliance with the rather light wind.

"Do you want to visit together?" Tsuna managed to ask, to which Kyoya answered with a barely audible sound of agreement.

'Hn.'

... .. .

"Have you finally decided?" Hibari Yuudai asked, voice stern and eyes fixed on the beautiful painting. He couldn't face her today.

"Yes, Otou-sama," Yuuki answered, her head inclined from the moment she sat. She told him next the conclusion she had made.

Yuudai tightened the fold of his arms and thinned his lips. He gave her a one-syllable response to her decision, an understanding to her will.

"Hm."

A long, unbearable silence settled between them then, as neither spoke to end the discussion. Yuuki had decided to just wait for Yuudai's dismissal, while the old man absentmindedly traced with his eyes the petals of the elegant painted flowers, his mind filled with that one question that would always come whenever his Yuuki did.

 _How are you?_

The head of the Hibari clan was not deaf to the whispers and contempts directed to his daughter-in-law. Many did not like her, simply because she was not from the clan—an outsider. But back then they had treated her better, she was Akihiro's beloved after all, though when his son passed away, most of the clan began to treat her with disdain.

Not only because she wasn't originally a Hibari, but also because the clan felt like Yuuki had taken something precious away from them—though not Akihiro's life, they were not that blind—but simply the time his son could have spent with them, his family, before he died. Akihiro was their dearly cherished heir after all; to them, he was just like the sky—warm, open, and accepting.

Yuudai too, had guiltily felt that Yuuki took those precious moments his son could have spent with him. That's why he couldn't face her since his death—he had hated her—but now he was only filled with guilt and regret at what he had done, and at what he had failed to do. He couldn't also imagine how Yuuki could tolerate the harsh atmosphere—she was strong, he could see, able to hide any hint of suffering with a cheerful smile—but he also noticed how that strong-will slowly crumbled each time they met, prompting her, he guessed, to finally make that decision.

So now, instead of that one query of concern, Yuudai spoke two words he had wanted to say ever since his mind was cleared from the grief and loss of his only son.

"I'm sorry."

And then Yuuki was dismissed.

... .. .

Strangely, Yuuki did not felt happy about the apology. She did not felt anything at all when she heard the phrase. It was like her heart had turned into stone at that very moment, not willing to accept such guilt-filled words.

Now though, she could only feel bitterness—at how everything had turned out, at how a single death could make everything so strained, unbearable. How a single, very unfortunate event had led them to this—to making decisions and conclusions they did not want to make.

That they never had wanted to make.

And yet, they needed to. Because it was the only way they could live on.


	52. Chapter 51: One irritating day

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

 **Author's note:  
**

 **1.** _Seiza_ **–** the formal Japanese way of sitting that really makes your legs hurt and go numb if you're not used to it.

 **2.** Umm… some of the… answers here are just a guess. Since there's no real information on some of the… queries.

 **3\. As a Christmas gift,** **there'll be a bonus chapter tomorrow _._** It's about White Day—I didn't really make a chapter about this day, but since I saw in the reviews that some of you are quite anticipating a chapter about it—well, I've written it.

 **4.** Lastly, Merry Christmas! :)

... .. .

 **Chapter 51: One irritating day**

Just for that single, should-have-been quiet and uneventful day, Hibari Kyoya wanted to sleep in.

He never wanted to crawl out from his comfy bed, feel the early morning breeze as he descended down the wooden stairs, or avoid the tall pile of brown empty boxes as he walked towards the entryway. What he really wanted to do now though, was to whip out his tonfas and seriously bite to death whoever it was that was furiously banging their front door.

Of course, he was never able to, since upon opening the aforementioned door, Kyoya saw an annoyingly happy Sawada Tsunayoshi—with eyes sparkling and lips smiling when he finally appeared.

"Good morning, Kyoya-san!"

So Kyoya opted to the most logical solution he could think of, one that would make him very happy and the other party very, very unhappy.

He slammed the door to Tsuna's face.

The brunette knocked again, louder. "KYOYA-SAN!"

" _What?_ " Kyoya demanded as he opened the door once more. He knew, that even if he ignored him, Tsuna wouldn't cease his violent attack on their front door. He decided then to just hear the brunette out, before he would slam the door again to his face and get some rightful sleep-in.

"Yesterday, Kyoko-chan invited us to go shopping together! Everyone will be there, so do you want go?"

Kyoya just looked at him with his narrow, sleep-deprived eyes. "Do you know what time it is _now?_ "

Tsuna gulped and instinctively backed away a little. "Umm... 5 am?"

"And _what time_ did that younger Sasagawa said we'll meet?"

Tsuna looked down in fear. "T-Ten..."

A vein popped on Kyoya's forehead.

For the next four hours and a half and so, Tsuna sat _seiza_ -style in the corner of Kyoya's room, while the latter slept as much as he could before the much dreaded appointed time.

... .. .

He really thought it wouldn't get worse from there, but Kyoya was proven wrong. His day got a lot more irritating when the younger Sasagawa decided to stand beside him and began asking some annoying questions about the little brunette. He ignored her at first, but she was rather persistent. For even after a good ten minutes of awkward silence, she still stood there, waiting. The smile started to become unnerving too.

"Salisbury steak..." Kyoya finally answered on the inquiry of Tsuna's favorite food.

Kyoko's smile became less threatening. She then proceeded to the next question. "Birthday?"

"October 14."

"Favorite number?"

"27."

Shortly after they had entered the small store, the already annoyed skylark chose to stand back at the place where there was the least amount of people, which was surprisingly the magazines corner, and waited for the others to finish their shopping there. He still hated crowding after all. He had wanted to stand by in peace, but then Kyoko appeared and cheerfully ruined it.

"Current dream?"

"Become a robot."

"Number one fear?"

"Bats."

"Favorite subject?"

"None, since he's bad at everything."

Kyoya noted that Kyoko was writing everything in a little pink, square notebook. He wondered then if that was what they called a "slam book", but had to wonder again why he was the one answering, when it should had been the person Kyoko was asking about.

"Favorite color?"

"Orange."

The skylark then pondered if the younger Sasagawa was interested in Tsuna. The thought kind of irked him a little, though he blamed it to his current state of being more susceptible to annoyance.

"Favorite animal?"

"...tuna."

Kyoko laughed softly at that. "Catchphrase?"

Kyoya had to pause to think about that. He knew Tsuna had none, so he opted to that one expression the brunette always used, though not so fondly. " 'Hiee.' "

Kyoko giggled again, before writing it down with her pink pen. "Alright, last question. What's Tsuna-kun's best quality?"

Kyoya didn't have to think for that. "His kindness."

"Wow, you really know everything about Tsuna-kun!" Kyoko exclaimed as she finally closed the little pink notebook. Kyoya just stared at her. If he wasn't so annoyed and sleep-hungry, he would have blushed. Just a bit.

"Don't tell Tsuna-kun about this, ne? It will be our little secret!" Kyoko then held out her pinky for a promise. Kyoya wanted to ignore it, but then that unnerving smile came back.

"What were those questions for anyway?" he asked as he retracted his right hand.

"It's a secret! But don't worry, you'll find out next week!"

A growing hate for secrets, little pink notebooks, pinky swears, and unnerving smiles started to bubble up inside the skylark.

... .. .

"So did you have fun?" Tsuna asked as they walked down the path to his home, the three-hour long shopping finally over.

"No," was Kyoya's very straightforward and honest answer. Tsuna only smiled awkwardly. The skylark contemplated next on why he didn't just deny the brunette's invitation that early morning, since he still very much hated crowding. He turned to Tsuna then, who was smiling happily as he walked beside him. He didn't wonder anymore.

"What did you bought, by the way?"

Tsuna gave Kyoya a blinding smile. "Things we'll need for our last extreme adventure!"

Kyoya wanted to face-palm, but managed to stop himself.

There was another irritating day looming ahead.


	53. Bonus chapter: Answer day

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

 **Author's note:**

 _Honmei-choco_ – "chocolate of love"

 _Giri-choco_ – "courtesy chocolate"

(source: wiki/White_Day/)

 **Here's your bonus chapter! Also, Kyoya's a bit OOC here…so, yeah. Enjoy :)**

... .. .

 **Chapter 51.5: Bonus chapter: Answer day**

Kyoya glared at the almost all-white pamphlet he took from a saleslady earlier during his patrol. Seated now on his soft bed, he narrowed his blue-gray eyes further at the two words on the paper.

 _Honmei-choco._

 _Giri-choco._

White Day was just a few days away, and Kyoya was thinking a bit too hard again on what perfect return gift he could give to his best friend. But first, he wanted to solve one problem—

 _What kind of chocolate did Tsunayoshi gave me?_

There were two kinds of chocolate that could be given on Valentine's Day— _honmei-choco_ or chocolate of love, and _giri-choco_ or courtesy chocolate. Kyoya wanted to know which kind Tsuna gave to him, so that he knew what kind of gift, and how much—triple the amount or not—he should return.

He glared again at the two words. Could it be _giri-choco_? But Tsuna didn't give the chocolates to him due to obligation. However, he didn't also give it to him with romantic feelings attached. _But_ —Tsuna _did_ give the chocolates to him because he really liked him, right? He even blushed when he did.

Kyoya sighed. _Honmei-choco_ _it is._

He flipped the pamphlet then, to the page where the most popular return gifts for _honmei-choco_ were listed.

He immediately dismissed the fist suggestion—cookies. _Too simple_. He then lowered his eyes and checked the next one. His eye twitched.

 _Marshmallows?_

Kyoya didn't know why, but somehow the soft, fluffy confectionery irritated him. He firmly rejected it, and moved on to the next—jewelry.

His eyebrow raised at this, but dismissed it too, since he and Tsuna already had friendship rings. _We don't need anything more._

He hummed then in consideration for the next one—white chocolates. It's special enough, and it's not that hard to make homemade ones too. Still, he checked the last suggestion to be sure he picked the best one.

 _White lingerie._

For the first time in his seven-year-old life, Kyoya stuttered, though in his mind. _L-Lingerie?!_

He couldn't believe he knew what that was. He couldn't also believe it's one of the most popular return gifts for White Day.

Kyoya blushed. He stared again at the mortifying words.

 _Should I—should I give Tsunayoshi some white briefs?_

…

... .. .

In the end, Kyoya opted to give his little best friend some homemade white chocolates. Triple the amount, of course.


	54. Chapter 52: Underneath the sky

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

... .. .

 **Chapter 52: Underneath the sky**

It was again one of those days when the weather was a little colder than usual; one of those days when a shy brunette and a fearsome skylark lounged on the roof after school to bask beneath the sun, gratefully taking its warmth.

"Ne, is there something wrong, Kyoya-san?"

Kyoya removed his gaze from the sky to let it settle on Tsuna, who was looking down at him with worried eyes. It had become a habit for the two, for the past few months or so, to let the skylark rest his head on Tsuna's lap. Though usually, after Kyoya had settled his head comfortably, he slept.

But on this particular day, Kyoya didn't. For the past half-hour, he laid there awake, absentmindedly staring at the sky.

The vast, blue, and cloudless sky.

Tsuna asked the skylark again. "Is there anything bothering you?"

Kyoya blinked, the question finally registering in his mind. "...there's nothing, really," he answered. But Tsuna did not believe him. The brunette only continued to stare at Kyoya, eyes resolute to make the older say what was truly bothering him.

Kyoya was undeterred by the stare, however. Quietly, he lifted his hand up to ruffle Tsuna's spiky yet surprisingly soft hair. "It's really not something you need to worry about, Tsunayoshi. I was just... thinking too much," he reassured. He didn't elaborate any further, making Tsuna's brows furrowed deeper. The raven-haired then removed his hand from the auburn locks and closed his eyes, finally inviting sleep.

A dreamless sleep later, Kyoya was awakened by a hand gently shaking him.

"I think we should go now, Kyoya-san."

Kyoya slowly opened his eyes, and saw the blue sky earlier had already turned orange. He grumbled, closing his eyes to try and sleep again, but was stopped by a much stronger shaking of his shoulders.

"Kyoya-san, wake up!"

Eyes still closed, Kyoya grumbled once more, not making any move to get up.

Tsuna countered this by shaking the skylark more. "Kyoya-san!"

"Just... five more minutes..." Kyoya said as he turned to his side and moved closer to Tsuna, "...please." he ended, making Tsuna's already large eyes widened more at one of the rare moments Kyoya would plead.

Kyoya didn't care, for now anyway, if his voice whined a bit, if Tsuna's legs where already numb, or if they were going to be scolded if they stayed out too late.

For, even just a little while, Kyoya wanted to bask underneath this warmth; just a little while more underneath this wide, open sky.

 _If this could only last forever_ , he thought ruefully.

If only it could.

... .. .

 **Omake**

The first time Kyoya rested his head on Tsuna's unsuspecting lap, the motion surprised and embarrassed Tsuna so much that he accidentally pushed Kyoya's head, making it land with a loud thud on the concrete roof.

The brunette received his very first biting that day.

Though the second time it happened, Tsuna managed to gulp down his embarrassment and not push Kyoya's head away.

Many times after the second time, the embarrassment faded away and was slowly replaced with quiet content.

A few more times after, it finally became a habit for the two to rest Kyoya's head on Tsuna's lap whenever they were on the roof.


	55. Chapter 53: The last great adventure

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends– much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness – but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

 **Author's rambling:** With 2,445 words—this is by far my longest chapter (according to MS Word), sans this rambling, chapter title, and usual notes on top of course.

Also, omg guys—after this, we **only have four chapters left** , including the epilogue! T-T

Anyway, at least, please enjoy this extra long one~

 **[Updated 12/31/15: Minor grammar fixes.]**

... .. .

 **Chapter 53: The last great adventure**

Kyoya finally found out—though much, much later in the day—the reason behind the younger Sasagawa's sudden interest in Tsuna on that certain irritating day—although, to be honest, the skylark already had an idea when Tsuna happily told him that what they had bought was for their last "extreme" adventure. He was just too annoyed that time to put two and two together.

He would later wish—when he found out—that he had though, since it would have at least prepared him for the _very_ _extreme_ adventure the older Sasagawa had somehow thought up.

... .. .

"Care to say that _again?_ " Kyoya dared, stressing the last word in obvious irritation.

It was either Ryohei didn't notice the blatant threat, or he just decided to ignore it. "As I have just said," the white-haired began, "we're going to have an extreme game today, since it's going to be our last adventure and all. The game is simple, really. It's like a scavenger hunt. Kyoko and I already prepared everything, though since this is an extreme adventure slash game, our scavenging field is the whole town of Namimori."

Then and there Kyoya would have bitten Ryohei to death if Tsuna hadn't stopped him. "Let go of me, Tsunayoshi!" the raven-haired snarled. Why was the scavenging field so _ridiculously big_? "Why do you think I'll even join you?" the skylark asked, now calm enough to hide away his wooden tonfas.

Ryohei smiled extremely. "Why, because of the EXTREME prize, of course!"

This got everyone curious. "What's the prize?" Hana asked.

If it was even possible, Ryohei's extreme smile became more extreme. "Why—none other than the ultra rare, yellow chick puzzle eraser!"

Everyone immediately froze, even Kyoya. Right now, the fad among kindergarten kids was to collect puzzle erasers. Kyoya wasn't the type to follow such crazes, but when his blue-gray eyes had landed on that _adorable_ —the raven-haired really couldn't help his fondness for small animals—yellow chick puzzle eraser one day on a magazine, the skylark knew then and there that he would one day make it his when he found it.

He smirked. How the older Sasagawa got that as the prize for the ridiculous game was no longer important. All Kyoya could think of right now was to make sure that by the end of the day that prize was in his possession. He would bite anyone to death if they get in his way—even Tsuna. _Yes, even Tsunayoshi._

Lining up before the chalk-drawn starting line at the entrance to Namimori Park, Kyoya's eyes calmly blaze with the dying will to win, just like the rest of the three competitors beside him. Ryohei chuckled, and with Kyoko beside him, he finally gave the signal to go, watching then the four ran as if their life depended on it—which maybe, for this time, it did.

"What's wrong Onii-chan?" Kyoko asked when she heard Ryohei laugh again for no apparent reason.

"No... it's… nothing," Ryohei replied in between laughs, his gray eyes never leaving a particular skylark as he ran with all his might.

Kyoya was still a kid after all.

... .. .

The first stop was surprisingly the Namimori cemetery, where they had that very eventful test of courage. Kyoya never wanted to live through that again, though at least since its mid-morning now, no disgusting creepy-crawler with the surprisingly terrifying (though not so skilled) ability to fly would suddenly show up and pester him.

He silently promised himself to get over that trauma one day.

Walking now on the same path he and Tsuna used last time, Kyoya turned his head left and right as he searched for a certain weeping tree, where he was sure to find the item specified in the card Kyoko gave to him, which was—as written with perplexing fruit-scented and glittering purple ink—"the grim reaper's bag beneath the crying tree".

Surely, after ten minutes of good searching, Kyoya saw beneath a large root of the tree a small black ribboned bag. He no longer looked what was inside, wanting to finish the scavenger hunt as soon as possible to win the prize. He ripped off the card that was taped to it then, before he deciphered the so-called riddle.

The skylark sighed. The next stop was the shopping district, which was too far to his liking.

... .. .

Kyoya idly wondered how the others were doing, if they were ahead of him or not, given the distance he had to cover between the cemetery and the shopping district. However, once he got there, he easily got the requested small red ribboned bag. The only thing he had to do this time was to ask it from the cashier at the store they had a three-hour long shopping trip in.

Although abruptly, but maybe expectedly, Kyoya remembered how Kyoko suddenly went up to him and began asking things about Tsuna, how that annoyed him and still do.

He also remembered, quite begrudgingly, that very unnerving smile the younger Sasagawa had when you didn't do what she asked.

He clicked his tongue at the memory.

... .. .

The raven-haired was now sure the places picked for the scavenger hunt wasn't random. Standing before the house of the owner of the runaway hedgehog they had spent almost half a day catching, he concluded that all the locations he would go to were the places they all had an adventure at, went to, or at least was very significant to them.

The hedgehog owner, Tanaka, kindly welcomed Kyoya and offered him some cakes, to which the skylark politely refused.

"Thank you for the offer, but I'm in a hurry, so if you would please…" he trailed off, not knowing if the man had the requested item or not, since the riddle card only mentioned "a cute ball of spikes' home", and nothing more.

Tanaka chuckled. "Maybe if you look at the back garden, you might find something interesting."

Kyoya then excused himself and started his search. He was glad that the garden wasn't ridiculously big unlike the house, but still, it was big enough to make him waste his time if he had to search every nook and cranny of the place. A thought then came up—if every single place he had to go to was significant to them, then there's a high probability that the place where they hid his item was somewhere that's significant to him.

 _Which is_ , the raven-haired turned his head to the right, eyes landing on a particular woody plant, _that tree_ —the same tree where he and Tsuna both confessed their jealousy, as he had learned, when the other was far too close and friendly with other people to their liking.

And so—as the skylark finally reached the tree—he noticed a differently wrapped bag beside one he determined could only be his. _Probably Tsunayoshi's…_ he guessed. He then smiled, since it meant that that spot—that place underneath the evergreen tree—was also the place that's significant to the brunette.

... .. .

The next place was the school.

Kyoya didn't know where to search for first, since there were too many places to look. His classroom, the playground, the back of the school…

He was about to go to that last place he thought, when he remembered a spot—a place, a location in their school that only belonged to him. No one dared to go there, and he only ever allowed one person to that place with him.

He went to the roof.

There, lying innocently on the rooftop floor, was a white ribboned bag. Kyoya smirked as he took it and read the last riddle card.

He was definitely going to win and have that prize.

... .. .

Unsurprisingly, he returned to the park.

Waiting there for him with a big smile to their faces where the Sasagawa siblings.

"Amazing Hibari, you're the first one to return!" Ryohei said. "Though I bet the others aren't too far behind."

"Then give me the last bag herbivore, so I can finally get the prize," Kyoya said as he reached out with an open hand.

"But before that, Hibari-san, pick out a question from this box. If you answer correctly, I'll give you the bag, but if not, you have to pick one again until you answer one right," Kyoko happily said, that unnerving smile in full force.

Kyoya grunted as he took out a small piece of neatly folded paper. He gave it to Kyoko, before he tapped his foot repeatedly and impatiently as she read. He could hear running footsteps nearing them.

"What's Yamamoto-kun's favorite drink?"

Kyoya blinked. "What?"

"That's the question, Hibari-san," Kyoko explained, then repeated the query, "what is Yamamoto-kun's favorite drink?"

Kyoya didn't expect that those were the kind of questions the box held—he had thought it would be some kind of world trivia or something, but he was more surprised when he realized that he actually knew the answer.

"…milk."

"Correct!"

Kyoya was glad for his sharp memory, since Takeshi only mentioned once that his favorite drink was milk. As he took the last item for his scavenger hunt, the other three arrived almost at the exact same time.

"Wait—Hibari already won?!" Takeshi exclaimed.

Kyoko shook her head. "Not yet. Hibari-san still needs to assemble the pieces."

Hibari's brows scrunched up in obvious confusion. He then opened the bag Kyoko just gave to him, and saw inside what looked like puzzle pieces.

Ryohei explained. "In each of the bags you took is an assortment of puzzle pieces. Those pieces actually make six extreme puzzles, but in order to win you only have to assemble one."

"But how do we know which one belongs to which puzzle?" Tsuna asked.

Ryohei only smiled. "You'll see."

Without further ado, Kyoya moved a ways bit from them, before he opened all the bags he collected and inspected the puzzle pieces. He saw six pieces had hand-drawn pictures on it, while the rest had a word, phrase, or number written on its surface.

"Sushi. 27. Hamburger steak. Bats." _What is this?_ Kyoya asked himself as he looked at the other pieces. "87. Boxing. Prima Ballerina…" as Kyoya read on, the words and numbers slowly began to make sense to him. "Pink. 33. Taiko. Hiee…" before finally, it all clicked.

Everything written on the puzzle pieces were information related to each one of them, the ones that Kyoko took. And if he guessed right, then each complete puzzle consists of all the things about one person.

Quickly, Kyoya picked out the pieces with the information he once answered to the younger Sasagawa. He placed each of the pieces to where they belonged as he picked them, forming what looked like a silhouette of Tsuna's head.

In less than two minutes, he almost finished the puzzle—there was only one piece missing. Kyoya searched again the pile, but there was nothing anymore that's related to the brunette. It was also unlikely that the siblings forgot any. Seconds tick by as Kyoya stared at the pile again, before he turned his gaze to the small separate pile of puzzle pieces he ignored, the one with the drawings on them. He then looked at each of the six pieces, discerning which of the drawings was related to Tsuna. He smirked when his eyes landed on a particular fish.

He quickly took it and placed the piece with the drawing of a tuna on the spot that looked like Tsuna's forehead.

Kyoya finally won.

"We finally have winners!" Kyoko happily announced.

 _Winners?_ Kyoya turned his head to the left, and saw another person with his hand raised just like his.

"Tsunayoshi?" He was surprised. Tsuna was the last one to answer a question correctly from Kyoko's box, and he didn't also expect the brunette to easily get either how the puzzle pieces were meant to fit.

He would still abide to what he promised to himself earlier though. " _I won't share_ ," Kyoya said stubbornly, arms crossed as he looked at the two Sasagawas. Beside him, Tsuna was also looking at the siblings with a serious and determined look on his face. He wasn't planning on sharing either, even if the other person was Kyoya.

"Don't worry you two! We have one for both of you!" Ryohei happily announced. "Actually we have one for everyone! Kyoko won seven of them two weeks ago from a game show, and we decided to give each of you as some kind of memento or something!"

"Memento? For what?" Tsuna asked.

Ryohei smiled. He looked wistful. "A memento for our extreme adventures," he answered. "This extreme scavenger hunt slash game is our last adventure after all, since Hibari and I are going to graduate next week."

There was a blanket of melancholy that fell on the group as they were reminded of it. By the next school year, Kyoya and Ryohei would finally be elementary schoolers, while the rest of them would still be in the Yochien.

Kyoya subtly looked at his still-fellow kindergarteners. He was genuinely surprised at how much he had came to know each and every one of them—especially a certain brunette—even though he hated crowding or getting too personal with anyone for that matter. He had realized how much he knew them when he read the information on the puzzle pieces earlier—because almost all of it he knew which belongs to whom.

The raven-haired would also never admit to anyone, that he, _the_ Hibari Kyoya, also had fun going to "extreme" adventures with these herbivores, even though Tsuna had to beg him most of the time to come. The memories that surfaced at each of the places he went to during the hunt was a testament to that—he wouldn't bother keeping the memories, both good and bad, if he didn't treasured them to a certain degree.

"This will be the last…" Ryohei began to say, his eyes cast down to the ground. "…as kindergarteners, anyway!" The white-haired immediately looked up, pleased to see the surprised faces before him. "We can still have extreme adventures even if Hibari and I are already in elementary school. It may be a little less extreme, but I can promise you that we can have more VERY EXTREME ones when we're all elementary students!" Ryohei said as he smiled brightly, just like the sun.

Takeshi was the first one to laugh, and the others soon followed after.

They all laughed happily then—except, of course, Kyoya—who instead let his lips form a small, bitter smile.


	56. Chapter 54: Become a star

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

 **Author's rambling:** Happy New Year! (Even though it's still the 31st of December, haha)

... .. .

 **Chapter 54: Become a star**

Tsuna began to stir. His closed eyes opened for a fraction, before he shut them again from the unwanted sunlight. He turned from side to side, trying his best to return to dreamland, but somehow couldn't. There was something that was keeping him awake, but couldn't find out what. Groggily he rose up and slid down from his bed, grabbing his blanket with him as he slowly walked out of his room, his sluggish mind telling him that he might find some answers if he went out.

"Mama?" Tsuna called out when he saw his mother sitting in the entryway, his small fist rubbing one tired eye awake to see if it really was her.

"Tsu-kun," Nana said a little too quietly. Her smile wasn't as bright too. This alarmed the brunette. He walked quietly up to his mother, a question forming in his sleepy mind that, if fully awake, he would have never thought of at the moment—something inside him just told him the query was very important right now, that it should be asked. And so he did.

"Where's Papa?"

There was a flicker of emotion in Nana's eyes that came and went too fast for the drowsy Tsuna to recognize. The young brunette tilted his head to the side in confusion.

Nana gave him a small smile. "Your Papa..." she began, looking straight to her son's caramel-brown eyes, "has gone away and become a star."

... .. .

Kyoya couldn't find Tsuna, again. From that morning until the end of class, he hadn't seen a mop of gravity-defying brown hair. He had asked Yamamoto, who assured him that Tsuna did attend class, but left as soon as it ended. To where, he too did not know. But he mentioned that the brunette was spacing out a lot—he would only stare at his desk, brows all scrunched up. Tsuna wouldn't even look at him even after he called him many times.

This got the skylark really worried. He had to tell Tsuna something very important, something he should have told earlier but kept on postponing until today, when he finally had the courage to tell. Their extreme adventure a few days ago finally gave him the push he really needed, but if Tsuna was in no state to receive his message—Kyoya didn't know when he would have the courage to tell, or if he would even have enough time to. He even ignored the brunette's questions about the boxes two weeks ago, which, now thinking about it, could had been the best time for him to tell if he wasn't just so irritated that early morning.

 _That's why I need to tell him today, no matter what._ After checking the whole school twice, Kyoya finally went out and started his search outside. As he walked, his mind raced to places Tsuna could have gone to, narrowing it down to one where the brunette might go to be alone.

Kyoya immediately began his search as he entered the Namimori Park—and it wasn't until fifteen minutes later when he finally found him, seating quietly and alone, on a red swing.

"Tsunayoshi." Tsuna did not turn at the sound of his voice. The brunette kept his eyes glued to the ground. And when Kyoya was finally closed enough to see his face, he saw how it was all scrunched up in confusion.

"Tsunayoshi, what's wrong?" There was clear concern in his voice, but Tsuna still did not respond. Kyoya went closer to him, finally standing in front of the smaller boy, and asked again.

"What's wrong?"

Tsuna tightened his grip on the metal chains of the swing, before he looked up at last at Kyoya. "Ne, Kyoya-san, what does 'become a star' mean?"

Kyoya's eyes widened, shocked at the question. He knew that phrase was a euphemism for dying, since his mother had once used it to describe what happened to his late father. But how could he tell that to Tsuna, when it looked like someone close to him had "become a star"? Before he could finally find a way though, tears began to fall quickly from the brunette's eyes.

"Tsunayoshi..."

Tsuna rested the top of his forehead on Kyoya's stomach, his body still seated on the swing. He actually had a feeling already what the phrase meant, he just couldn't bring himself to fully understand and accept it.

"He won't come back anymore, won't he?"

Kyoya could not find the right words to answer, or to comfort, so he decided to just caress Tsuna's head as he quietly cried. He could no longer tell either, the news he should have told a month ago, not with Tsuna like this—especially not with him like this.

Kyoya thinned his lips.

They only had three days left until the graduation.

He already ran out of time.

... .. .

As Nana folded the dried laundry, she let the emotions she locked up earlier fill her heart, at least before Tsuna came home.

Yes—she had thought Iemitsu looked cool when he told her earlier to inform their little son that he had "gone away and become a star". But it did not mean that she didn't felt unbearably sad about her husband's departure. But even as she let the sorrow fill her heart, Nana kept on fighting the tears that threatened to form.

Because she couldn't cry from this.

She couldn't break down.

She needed to stay strong, for Tsuna.

But even if she knew Iemitsu would come back, that fact that she did not know when only made Nana's heart ached.

She could only wait.


	57. Chapter 55: Lanterns

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

 **ANNOUNCEMENT:** In the next update, I'll upload both the last chapter and the epilogue (since it's better that way). So yeah, next update will be the final one...

*cries*

Also, I won't be able to reply to those who reviewed from December 31st since there's a glitch/bug/ _ugh_ that's messing with the reviews right now in FFnet (it won't show on the review page, and though I received them in my email and have read them, thankfully, I can't reply to the reviews since whenever I click the reply link FFnet would always say _they can't freaking find the review_ , even though the total review count still goes up. _Ugh,_ dang bugs.). But I'll definitely reply to your reviews when everything is fixed (soon, hopefully).

... .. .

 **Chapter 55: Lanterns**

"Akihiro would be so proud of you, Kyo-kun," Yuuki said as she hugged her son tightly, burying her face on the crook of his small neck. "You're finally going to graduate."

It was, finally, the day of their graduation. Many mothers, including Yuuki, wore their kimonos for the special ceremony, while others opted to wear a formal, western attire. The fathers on the other hand, wore their best suit.

"Okaa-san, Tomoe-sensei's calling for us," Kyoya said as he gently reminded his mother that it was time to let go. Yuuki quickly did, apologizing then to her son for hugging him too long.

"See you later." As Yuuki waved goodbye, she couldn't remove the wide smile on her face as she watched her son disappear among the crowds of children wearing identical graduation attires. Far too many unfortunate things had happened last year, things that would do them well to forget. They still hadn't, and it might be a long time before they do, but at the very least, her son was finally going to graduate now without much incident.

 _Though I wonder how he is holding up with that much crowding..._ Of course, Yuuki knew how much Kyoya despised the act or even just the thought of "herbivores" grouping together, but then again, she also knew how her son had been hanging out with a group of such "herbivores" these past few months. It may have increased his tolerance level, though for how long, Yuuki could only guess.

She then decided to keep a watchful eye on him, just in case.

... .. .

As it turned out, Yuuki didn't have to worry. Kyoya, who would forever hate crowding and would bite anyone to death who did so, wasn't really in the mood to bite. He wouldn't even really openly ruin the ceremony or abandon it just because of the crowding—he would actually tolerate it, as much as his emotions permit him to. There was just something occupying his head at the time that didn't let him mind the overly close herbivores.

For the past three days, Kyoya's thoughts kept on jumping from Tsuna's crying face, Iemitsu's disappearance (who he had learned didn't actually died the day after the brunette cried about it), and how he had ran out of time to tell Tsuna the news. The departure of the brunette's father really came in a bad time—he knew, from when Isamu left, how much Tsuna would mourn over the loss of a love one, and Kyoya surely knew that another unfortunate news would do him no good.

 _But it'll be worse if I don't tell him_ , he told himself. When then, should he tell? When could he tell him the news that would surely break Tsuna's heart?

"Kyoya-san!"

Before he could ponder over it more, Kyoya's thoughts were disrupted by Tsuna's voice. The brunette ran towards him, catching his breath first before straightening up to smile at him.

It was strained.

"The graduation was really amazing, Kyoya-san! You and Ryohei-san sang well too!" Tsuna exclaimed.

"How can you even hear us?" Kyoya asked, trying his best to not show any worry in his eyes. "There were a lot of other herbivores singing with us, Tsunayoshi."

"But still!" Tsuna retaliated weakly. "I wonder if our graduation will be like this too?" he wondered as he cupped his own chin. "You and Ryohei-san will come, right?"

It was Kyoya's turn to offer a strained smile. "Tsunayoshi... I—"

"Alright, everyone! Gather around! It's time to light the lanterns!"

The two jumped in surprise, Aoki being too close for them not to be. The teacher quickly apologized, before he ushered the two to the front yard of the school.

As was planned months before, the graduation ceremony was held in the afternoon. This was so that they wouldn't have to wait long for the event that would surely highlight the end of the ceremony—which was the lighting of the orange lanterns that would then be floated to the night sky.

"Don't forget to make a wish before you let go of your lanterns, kids!" Aoki reminded.

Kyoya was never one to do such things, but for tonight he would make an exception. Quietly, he whispered to the lantern his wish, before he let it drift to the sky. He then looked to his left, his blue-gray eyes filled with regret and concern as he watched the brunette beside him.

Tsuna was looking up, caramel-brown eyes following the orange lantern he released to the night, tears falling slowly and silently down his soft cheeks.

' _Please, Kami-sama, don't make him cry anymore.'_

... .. .

It was already late in the morning the next day, when Tsuna was suddenly woken up by Nana from his deep slumber. "Mou, Tsu-kun, wake up! Kyoya-kun's been calling since six earlier! I think it's really important!" Nana could only guess after all, since Kyoya did not want to pass the message to her, saying that Tsuna himself must be the one to hear from him.

With great effort, Tsuna finally sat up in his bed, eyes trying to blink the sleep out. His mother then pressed the receiver to his right ear, before quickly going down to check the food she was cooking.

"Tsunayoshi?" Tsuna heard Kyoya call out from the other end of the line. He answered with a sleepy grunt.

There was silence then, before Tsuna heard something like a low mumbling noise. "Huh?"

"...fecture..."

Tsuna blinked, suddenly wide awake. "Can you repeat that, Kyoya-san?" He heard a deep intake of breath.

Then an exhale. "We're moving today, Tsunayoshi."

Tsuna's grip on the phone slackened.

"To another prefecture."

The noise of a phone dropping to the floor could then be heard, after that the shuffling of small feet, the rapid changing of clothes, the thumping of feet on steps, the slamming of a door.

"I'm sorry."

Tsuna ran as fast as his little feet could to Kyoya's house.

Isamu's leave was a great shock to him.

His father's almost broke his heart.

If Kyoya would leave now—

Tsuna shook the thoughts away.

 _No, I need to stop him._

Because he could no longer bear to lose another.


	58. Chapter 56: Two words

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

 **Summary:** No one ever thought that the shy, easily-scared, five-year old Sawada Tsunayoshi and the aloof, very scary, six-year old Hibari Kyoya could become friends—much less best friends. It was such an unlikely pair after all, a really unexpected duo. But to everyone's surprise, they still did, eventually.

 **Warnings:** OCs, since they're kids and almost (or more than?) half of the crew is from Italy or is not from Japan, and of course, OOCness—but hey, since they're still young and all, their personalities have to yet develop to that of we know (that's what I would argue anyway).

... .. .

 **Chapter 56: Two words**

" _I'm sorry."_

" _I'm sorry."_

" _I'm sorry."_

The apology replayed in his mind again and again as he desperately ran to Kyoya's house. He almost tripped once—thrice as his feet frantically stepped faster on the flat gray pavement.

 _Why?_ Tsuna asked himself as he sprinted harder, quicker. _Why didn't Kyoya-san told me about this sooner?_ _Do the others even know? When did they plan the move? Why are they moving?_

Why was he leaving him?

"Kyoya-san!"

Kyoya turned around, not at all surprised to see Tsuna gasping heavily before him, head down, hands on knees. Yuuki, who was only a few feet away behind him, looked at the brunette forlornly, before she approached Kyoya and squeezed his left shoulder lightly, relaying as she did a barely audible message to his ear, to which the young raven-haired gave a curt nod that he understood. She quietly climbed into a black car.

Breathing now calm and even, Tsuna stood straight up and stared at his best friend, standing alone in front of him, Yuuki's earlier presence and now absence not at all noticed. They locked gazes for a moment, and various thoughts—questions, circulated again inside the brunette's mind, far too many queries to be asked—but finally, he settled on one to voice out first.

"When?" Tsuna asked, tears held back and emotions barely controlled, "when did you decide to move, Kyoya-san?"

The raven-haired was reluctant to answer. "...last month."

Tsuna clenched his small hands. _Last month?_ "Do the others even know?"

"...you're the only one I told," Kyoya replied.

A bitter smile spread to the brunette's lips. He refocused his gaze to the skylark in front of him, before glancing at the waiting black car not too far.

Again, that feeling inside of him, that hunch that _never_ seemed to get wrong told him now—that there was no way he could stop this—this move, this separation. Unshed tears at last formed in the corner of Tsuna's caramel-brown eyes as an unbearable sadness spread in his chest. He did not want to believe it, _refused_ to accept that intuition that always held the truth. He inhaled sharply then, stopping a cry, before he lowered his head to cast his gaze to the ground.

Upon seeing Tsuna's sullen form, Kyoya's eyes narrowed in anguish. He called out to him—"Tsunayoshi."—his pale hand reaching out—but was abruptly stopped when the brunette suddenly lunged at him and grabbed a fistful of his shirt's collar.

" _Why?_ " Tsuna demanded as he stared straight into Kyoya's now widened eyes, his voice cracking, his cheeks now stained with still-flowing tears. He could feel his fists shaking in anger. "Why are you leaving me? Why now—when I needed you the most, Kyoya-san?! Didn't you say that you'll always stay by my side?"

"It's—it's complicated," Kyoya answered lamely.

Tsuna's eyes contracted in sorrow and disbelief, before he looked down again, closed hands still trembling, large drop of tears wetting the dry pavement below. "...please, _please,_ Kyoya-san, don't leave me too."

The raven-haired closed his eyes, not wanting to see the beaten form of his friend. He knew what he had promised him—that he would always stay by Tsuna's side—but that was before the move was decided. Sure, he had a choice to actually stay, but as he stole a glance on the waiting black car, he knew he couldn't. There were too many things that factored to the move—things that would've silently killed his mother if they didn't. She needed him too.

Kyoya now returned his gaze to the brunette, whose head was still down, fists still gripping the collar of his shirt. The furrow of his brows deepened. "I'll definitely come back, I promise."

"When?" Tsuna asked, voice hoarse.

Kyoya pressed his lips together. He couldn't answer the brunette's question—because he didn't know too.

At the silence, Tsuna finally let his hands drop back to his side. He then stepped back and gazed at Kyoya, the stare returned by the raven-haired. Tsuna smiled sadly, his tears no longer flowing. "You know, you promised too that you'll always stay by my side, but now you're leaving, Kyoya-san, when I needed you the most. Do you really think I could take you for your word?"

Blue-gray eyes immediately widened. Kyoya opened his mouth—to refute the statement, to make Tsuna not lose his hope in him—but couldn't find any words to use. He gritted his teeth. Next head he may be to the most powerful clan in Namimori, but Kyoya also understood, from what his mother had told him when she announced the move, that there was this chance—this possibility—that he may never come back to his beloved hometown.

The raven-haired closed his eyes now in misery, and offered a phrase that he knew wouldn't help at all. "I'm sorry."

No-longer trembling hands clenched again. Tsuna lowered his face for the last time, finding it easier now to look at the ground than at Kyoya's face. His mind wondered then—looking for reasons, explanations, _a justification_ —on why they would all leave him—Isamu, his father, and now Kyoya.

'…did I do anything wrong?' It came out as a whisper, but Tsuna knew Kyoya heard. But the skylark didn't answer his question—instead, Kyoya parted his lips, saying the words Tsuna never wanted to hear.

"Kyoya-san!" Once more, Tsuna called out to him, but his cries were ignored as the car finally drove away, leaving him alone on the paved road.

Almost immediately that unbearable—overwhelming anguish made itself known again, making the brunette's fragile heart ache, his eyes to keep on flowing tears, his mind to begin to shut down.

The last thing Tsuna saw was a blue, cloudless sky, before everything, finally, went to black.

... .. .

Two days later, Tsuna woke up in a white room.

He went into a coma.

"Tsu-kun! You're finally awake!" Nana cried as she hugged her son fiercely. Her heart almost stopped when she received the call—and it did when she saw him two days ago, lying on the hospital bed, unconscious and seemingly not breathing. She had thought she had lost her only child.

"Mama? Where are we?" Tsuna asked, still squished in the tight hug.

"In the hospital." Nana finally released her son. She next held his face between her hands, and looked at him straight in his eyes. "Tsu-kun, what happened? The doctor said someone saw you lying unconsciously on the road." Though Nana had inkling what might have caused it. Yuuki had called her yesterday, telling her they had to move to another prefecture, apologizing to her after for only saying it then.

"I…" Tsuna averted his gaze from Nana's searching eyes, his brows furrowing. "I… don't know…"

This alarmed Nana a bit. "Well, you just woke up, so I guess you're still a little confused…" She then let go of Tsuna's face and stood up. "I'll just go and get the doctor, okay?"

Tsuna nodded, watching his mother go. A few seconds later though, the door opened again, and four kids suddenly entered and ran towards him.

"TSUNA!"

"Tsuna-kun!"

"Tsuna!"

The other girl didn't spoke. Tsuna blinked in surprise.

"You're finally awake…" Kyoko said as she grabbed his hand. "We we're all so worried…" She wiped away her tears.

"We heard you extremely collapsed on the road! How are you feeling now?" Ryohei asked.

Everyone waited for him to answer, but the furrow between Tsuna's brows only deepened as he stared at them.

"I'm sorry, but… who are you all again?"

Silence.

"Wha—Tsuna, you're joking, right…?" Takeshi said with a troubled smile.

Tsuna looked at each one of them again, his mind searching for the memories that should've been there. Then things began to surface—faint memories—of laughter, of gossip, of adventures, and of friendship.

He suddenly recognized all of them, somewhat. Tsuna then looked at the boy who last spoke. "Yamamoto… kun?"

There was a look of shock and hurt across Takeshi's face.

 _Why?_ Tsuna asked himself, eyes widening when he saw. Didn't everyone called him Yamamoto? He searched again his mind, to see if they had any deeper bond than as classmates in a… kindergarten?

"I wonder what Hibari-san will do if he was here…" Kyoko said dismally.

This caught Tsuna's attention. "Hibari-san?" Everyone look up expectantly. "Is he someone I know too?"

The disbelief in everyone's eyes was evident.

"What—what are you saying, Tsuna?" Takeshi asked a little too loudly as he gripped Tsuna's shoulders. "Don't tell me you forgot him too? Hibari Kyoya! He's your best friend! I know he just suddenly left and all, but that doesn't mean you can just—"

"Yamamoto!" Ryohei shouted as he pulled Takeshi away from the confused brunette. "I'm extremely sorry, Tsuna," the white-haired apologized. "We'll leave for now, but we'll come back again tomorrow."

Tsuna gave them a small smile. " _Hai_ , thank you. Oh, and I'm sorry for forgetting… Sasagawa-san."

The brunette wasn't able to see the hurt that flashed in Ryohei's eyes, the latter averting his gaze just in time for him not to. "Yeah, see you tomorrow."

Tsuna watched them leave then, and when the sliding door finally clicked closed, he rested his small back on the soft pillow behind him.

"Hibari Kyoya..." he repeated. The name sound oddly familiar, and a vague recollection of a dark-haired boy now came to mind, but other than that, he really couldn't remember who he was. Try as he might, he honestly couldn't—it was as if there was something blocking his mind from doing so.

Tsuna sighed, finally giving up on the quest of trying to remember who Hibari Kyoya was. He then turned his attention to the window, the afternoon sky making him feel sleepy. With lips slightly parted as he looked dazedly on the slow moving clouds, a voice echoed in his mind—two words, that someone seemed to have told him just a few minutes ago, but at the same time felt like it was said a long, long time ago.

It was sad, and Tsuna couldn't help but tear up at the words.

" _Sayonara, Tsunayoshi."_


	59. Epilogue: The end of a story

**Title:** The Unlikely Duo

... .. .

 **Epilogue: The end of a story**

His fingers brushed the photos of the children he once taught, a pensive smile on his lips, nostalgia overwhelming him as he browsed more the pages of the thick graduation book. Aoki sat cross-legged on the apartment floor, an almost empty bookshelf in front, and an array of books and boxes around. He had been organizing his crammed bookshelf, by removing books here and there, when he stumbled upon the thick book.

"What are you looking at?" Tomoe, fellow teacher and wife, asked when she entered the room.

Aoki flipped a page. "Their pictures." He didn't have to explain further whose. Tomoe smiled in understanding, before she took what she needed in the room and went back to their kitchen.

They had long since graduated, but Aoki could still remember it—that memorable year when the unexpected pair was born.

Honestly, the bespectacled man didn't believe at first that the two were friends. But as he observed them each passing day after that impromptu engagement with Tomoe, the doubt slowly faded away to joy when he saw how the "unlikely duo" interacted with each other.

"Pfft..." Aoki stifled a laugh at the nickname the faculty came up for them. It really fitted the two—after all, no one really thought that a shy, easily-scared boy and an aloof, somewhat-scary one could become friends—much less best friends, for that matter.

 _But..._ The mirth in his eyes now faded to melancholy as Aoki remembered that just the day after his graduation—Hibari Kyoya left.

He was shocked when he heard the news that Tsuna was admitted to a hospital the same day, apparently in a coma. But his worried heart at last found calm when Nana phoned him two days later, when Tsuna finally awoken, that he was alright—though there might be a little complication. He found out what the complication was when the new school year arrived.

Somehow, in those two days when Tsuna was unconscious, his mind managed to locked away the memories of the past year. He barely remembered anything he did and anyone he met—his teachers, his classmates, and his friends were all vaguely recalled. It was also apparent, that Tsuna somehow reverted back to his old self—to the shy and easily-scared him before he entered kindergarten. But what saddened Aoki the most, was that there was one person Tsuna had forgotten all together—all the memories he had of him deeply locked away, or maybe erased, forever, from his mind.

"Hibari Kyoya." Aoki suspected then it wasn't only Kyoya's sudden departure that made Tsuna like that. He later found out that week that Tsuna's father had also abruptly gone away to work in a foreign country, the date of his return still unknown.

Aoki sighed, wondering now if the duo would ever return. He gazed at their pictures again, for one last time, before finally—he closed the book, closed the story of that one memorable year and placed it inside a nondescript box—in order to create the much needed space for new ones.

... .. .

... .. .

... .. .

 **Now you all know why there's a sequel, though thinking back about it now, I actually thought up the sequel first before this one. I just wanted to publish their backstory first so this got written... first.**

 **Anyway, thanks for reading until the end!**

 **Thanks also to those who reviewed, favorit'd, and followed this story! I didn't plan for TUD to be this long—it was supposed to be a 12-chapter story, but then it turned to a 20, and then a 30, and then—you get the picture...**

 **Oh, and the SEQUEL WILL BE UPLOADED ON THE DAY AFTER GIOTTO'S BIRTHDAY.  
**

 **I don't want to upload it immediately 'cause I want to give you all some time to rest and heal your... umm... probably broken hearts (coughsothatIcanbreakitagaincough). And also because I need time to edit.  
**

 **Lastly, a little something for you all to mull about while waiting for the sequel** **—this is connected to canon. And the sequel is post-manga. So to those who haven't read the manga, I suggest you read at least a summary of the arcs from where the anime left off, since I'll be referencing some of the things that happened there.**

 **So until then, Ciao~**

 **Yours truly,**

 **xmelonBreadx**


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